


Dark Side Of The Moon

by Basil_Gray



Series: Finding You [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien anatomy, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate reality travel, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety Disorder, Autoerotic Asphyxiation, Emotional Manipulation, Eventual Smut, F/M, Flashback Heavy, Heavy Angst, I think?, Identity Issues, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Incest, Keith is from an alternate reality like Sven, M/M, Minor Character Death, Miscarriage, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Verse, Other, PTSD, Past Rape/Non-con, Smut, Weird Alien Anatomy, a very dark one, also an au, between main ship, get ready for this angst, heads up for them too, i wanted galra! kuro so his shiro is kuro, identity crisis, just wanna put a big warning out there for that, more tags to come i'm sure, some characters are the similar but slightly altered in his reality, this fic is completely self indulgent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-02-10 02:07:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 37,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12901662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Basil_Gray/pseuds/Basil_Gray
Summary: Keith watched Lance as he and his fellow paladins reminisced of old stories of their Earth. His hands waved around expressively like he was a skald, a storyteller long before their time, and their Keith, his Keith, watched fondly sneaking tender smiles that made even his gut warm. This heartwarming moment between his newly adopted paladins had sparked because Lance had mentioned the man on the moon, and Keith had replied that there was never a face on the moon watching over his Earth, but a soft, almost craterless surface. All he'd known was the dark side of the moon, and for the first time he wondered if that cursed him in some way. If maybe he had lived under the Moon's watchful face like these paladins, he'd somehow been protected from all the sorrow, pain, and misfortune he's come to be all too familiar with.





	1. Just a Boy

**Author's Note:**

> First voltron fic just a warning :)
> 
> Also the chapters aren't going to be completely chronological at least not the flashbacks.  
> Present time maybe but it all depends on how the chapter comes to me. 
> 
> I have a general idea of how the story is going to go, but a lot of it so far has been based on my mood, what's inspired me in the moment, and daydreams.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith's reflecting on his childhood as he stops at the Earth store in the space mall. Shiro sees someone who's familiar but not the same at all. 
> 
> Note: I'm going to try to make the flashbacks parallel with the present.
> 
> Warning: incest, child abuse, underage/noncon sexual abuse

Keith could sometimes still smell the dirt in his nose.

Dry heat and cold nights spent hiding under layers of blankets trying to control his scent. He remembers the red of the sunset retreating behind plateaus. The squeak of floor boards. Alpha scent. Similar to his but unique in its makeup. It wasn't always like this.

Keith remembers gentle hands and hours of fun under the desert sun. Small legs carrying him as fast as he could go. He remembers his father's own legs poking from underneath motorcycle bikes, junkers he got for cheap. Keith would watch him after tiring himself out, sitting on his dirty, little scraped up knees, "knees of a strong alpha lad," his father would say.

His father would eventually realize he had company and reach an oil-stained hand out and ask for a tool quickly peaking his head out, chuckling with a large grin that crinkled his eyes. He knew the boy was too young to know what he was needing, so he'd ruffle Keith's still baby-soft hair and return to fixing the bike.

Those gentle hands that once ruffled his hair adoringly became heavy hands. He didn't understand when or why he had become such a burden on his father. He didn't understand what alighted the rage, but as the years went on and he reached his pre teens his fathers passive comments and irritability towards him escalated to hands bruisingly gripping his wrists when Keith wouldnt do something right and long periods of isolation.

He wouldn't so much as speak or look at Keith until one night the light in the hallway flickered on. Keith remembers the squeak of the floor boards, the shadow of flat feet bleeding from underneath the door into his room. He remembers smelling himself as he threw his head under the blankets to pretend he was sleeping.

The smell asaulted his nose and in that moment he wondered if it was his fault, if it was his disgusting smell that offended his father. He remembered the day that he presented. His father had always called him his little alpha lad, that he was going to be a fierce, strong man someday.

His father looked anything but proud. Fear. Worry. Disgust. Shock. Those were the words that came to mind when Keith thought of his father's face. He didn't understand why his father would hate having an omega as a son.

But then that night the covers were yanked off him leaving him exposed to the cold desert air. He let out a yelp at the contrast of chill sir on his feverish skin. His legs shaked, and he felt self-conscious when his inner thighs rubbed together and he felt the slick of his first heat, foreign.

He smelled whisky, alpha scent, and the combination of both sent fear shooting throughout his body negating the arousal his biology had forced him into. Keith felt the bed dip and a hand touch his knee. He wanted to call out to his father, but the words stuck in his throat like hot tar.

Another calloused hand gripped his knee and worked at spreading his legs wide. Keith opened his eyes not realizing he had screwed them shut and saw what he could only describe was a man that looked like his father, but crouched over him like a predatory beast. The man's muscles rippled beneath the skin of his bare torso, veins protruding, canines elongated. He leaned down and nuzzled the place below Keith's jaw until it swelled, and he ripped the boy's pajama bottoms off.

A hand smelling faintly of oil and handsoap placed itself over his crotch and Keith escaped to the back of his mind. He could no longer feel the man on top of him, or hear the sounds echoing throughout his room, all he could focus on was the rocket ship hanging from his ceiling fan.

Keith stared at the little rocket ship now from the entrance of the Earth store. The memories it evoked caused him not to remember why he had come here in the first place. He was just a boy back then,  thrust into the harsh reality that the world was not kind at a far too early age, and overtime forgot what gentle hands and gentle eyes were like. 

A sudden shiver raked over him, and he felt as though someone were staring at him now. His instincts told him it was danger and to run, but he looked in the direction he was warned not to. His gut twisted, eyes widened, and his mind supplied him with the same message over and over again.

_He couldn't be here._

 -----------

Shiro stared at the young man in front of the Earth store.  _He couldn't be Keith,_ he argued with his brain and all rationality. Keith was currently with the blades and wouldn't be back for at least another week. This boy was similar but not the same. 

He was beautiful. 

The thought was such a foreign concept to Shiro. He had always known Keith was handsome , but that was not the word to describe the look-a-like in front of him. Where Keith was scrawny limbs working it's way to lean muscle, this Keith was thick in the hips, his tiny waist only making them appear to be larger in proportion to the rest of his body.

His Keith still sported his classic mullet, and Shiro was almost certain it was because Lance loved it no matter how much the Cuban boy tried to deny it. But, the Keith before him had a longer version that could easily be tied up. It cascaded down his shoulders, softer, deeper than the black of Keith's hair. If that was even possible. 

The boy turned to look at him, and the expression made Shiro flinch back. He looked at him with so much fear that Shiro couldn't remember a time that anyone had regarded him that way. Ever. He was the black paladin, a symbol of freedom, and before that he was Takashi Shirogane, a space hero that all boys and girls at the garrison looked up to. 

"Keith!" 

Shiro callled out to him, and the boy took off as if his very life depended on it. Shiro followed suit. He was quick. Much quicker than the Keith he remembered, and not long Shiro had lost him in the sea of people with no trail or lead to follow. He was gone. He stood there catching his breath questioning his brain again if what he saw was real or not. 

That night Shiro saw haunting violet eyes every time he closed his own, and when he awoke his heart raced, sitting up in bed, his hand outstretched as if reaching out to grab the boy who wasn't there. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry. :) 
> 
> This is kind of a setting up chapter. I'll have more dialogue between characters next chapter for sure! 
> 
> Also just in case I havnt clarified it somewhere already. Only omega Keith's reality is dark. The reality shiro is from is more canon compliant.


	2. Lost & Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro goes to Pidge for help. Keith has a breaking point.
> 
> Very short much vague summary sorry I'm not good at these. xD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: mentions of blood and sexual violence 
> 
> Also have y'all listened to "Home" by tablo? Do yourselves a favor and look up the lyrics and listen to it during Keith's flashbacks in the second half. I'd link it but I'm a noob.
> 
> Note: I didn't proofread, cheers!

"Pidge I need your help with something." Shiro found her in her usual spot this early in the morning, still half buried in her blankets with the light of her tablet reflecting off her glasses.

"If it's physical labor, no I'm not awake enough for that yet." Pidge replied half joking but half serious.

"No it's a hacking job," Shiro teetered on the idea of telling her about the mystery Keith clone, but if she was going to be most effective in her job she needed the full story. "Remember the space mall trip we took almost a week ago," he didn't wait for her to reply, "I saw someone there. Keith. But, I don't think it was our Keith."

"So you mean like Sven?" She cocked her head up to finally meet his gaze, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose as she did.

"Yes."

"I'll get on that right now, but why do you want to find him? If it's because you want to know for sure why not just ask Keith if he was st the space mall?"

"Because, Pidge he looked terrified. I think he might need our help. It would make sense why he's here and not in his own reality."

She nodded and understood Shiro's reasoning. Her fingers moved deftly across the pad, it was quiet between them until she finally spoke again, "I'll need to go back to the space mall to do this." It was Shiro's turn to nod as he turned around and left Pidge to get ready for their trip.

Shiro passed the common room as he went to his room to pack for the trip having already informed the alteans oh his plans. Coran was needing a few things from the shops anyways, so Allura was less upset about wasting another training day.

"Hey Shiro." Lance said from the couch he was lazily lounging on not taking his eyes off the screen as Hunk was about to make a new record in Donkey Kong.

"Hey guys," he addressed the two boys, "Pidge and I are going back to the space small I'm going to need you guys to hold down the fort."

"Yeah ok." Lance answered short not really paying attention to Shiro's words.

He sighed and gave them a small wholehearted grin before continuing to his room.

 

It didn't take long for Pidge to hack into the system and not for her to find the images of Keith. She zoomed in on a clear image of the boy's face.

"Whoah, there's no mistaking that is Keith. Well another Keith."

"Will you be able to track his movements, maybe figure out what shuttle he took, where he might be headed?"

"I'm not sure, but I can use the facial scan we got to easily pinpoint all the shops he stopped at within the week maybe we can get an idea from there. Also, If here's here today I can track him in a sense I just need to," she fiddled with her pad some more, quiet, concentrated,"there and ok. Shiro, don't make any sudden movements we are actually being watched."

"Being watched?" Shiro did his best to not look suspicious.

"Yes. Apparently he has been following us since the docking bay. I don't know if he's quick at what he does or if it was luck, did he get close enough to you to place a tracker?"

"No, he made sure to put a lot of distance between the both of us when I saw him."

Shiro could hear Pidge hum as she thought about the situation some more, "He must have anticipated your return. With the amount of times he's frequented the space mall this week, it's almost as if he was hoping to run into you again."

It made sense what she was saying, but he didn't understand why he ran in the first place. Maybe he had a change of heart? Curiosity? Pidge got up from her seat and headed towards a store, staring into it as though she was interested.

"We need to act as though we're not aware of him trailing us and see if he follows us back to the ship. Maybe we can corner him there with more privacy, it's too busy here."

Great thinking Pidge! Tell me why you're not leader again?" Shiro smiled at her when she gave out a small chuckle. They walked to a few stores, got Coran's shopping list done, and walked back to the ship. All the while Keith followed them never straying too far behind them, but never in their physical sight. He was very good at staying hidden and that somhow made Shiro feel more upset than he should.

"Those crates we passed just now," Shiro nodded at her words with understanding, "he's there now. Shiro if we're going to we need to do it now."

"Keith." Shiro slowly turned around as if confronting a scared, wild animal.

The boy stepped out from behind the crates, he looked bbsck and forth between Shiro and Pidge and then to what Shiro assumed was the nearest exit.

"You're following me too." Keith stated confidently. "I was notified the moment someone attempted to hack the system. I wasn't sure if you would try to even come back for me, but I wanted to have all my bases covered. He said holding up his own tablet that was smaller than Pidge's.

"He's good." Pidge said beside Shiro.

"When I saw you, Keith, you looked scared," scared wasn't the word more like terrified, "are you in danger, is someone trying to hurt you?"

Keith was quiet for a long time Shiro thought that maybe he wasn't ever going to reply.

"I don't know anymore." The boy said and Shiro could swear that he was on the boarder of crying, his face looked as though he was fighting them back with all his strength.

"What are your plans—"

"Can I come with you? I–I want to see the lions. I want to see red."

Keith looked at him with guarded eyes, but his voice stuttered. Shiro had never felt more relieved. He had found the boy and he wanted to join them willingly. He would be safe now.

"Welcome aboard." Shiro held out his hand and waited for him to take it but the boy never did instead he walked in the direction of their ship.

\--------------------

Red.

That was the color that Keith felt. If colors could be felt. Red was his life. The red sunsets of the desert, sheets of rock and clay also red. Red was the emotion he buried and the warm liquid between his thighs. Red was behind his eyelids when he squeezed them too tight and the taste in his mouth when he was "out of line".

Keith never really liked the color red even if some of his clothes and his favorite bicycle were red. He would ride his bike as fast and as far into the desert as he could go. He loved the feeling of the wind tousling his growing locks.

Most of all he loved the sense of freedom his red bicycle gave him. In those moments he could believe that he was running away never to return to anxiety that had become his home.

But he'd always return as if he had no other choice. The world scared him. If his father, who was suppose to love and protect him, could lay hands on him like he did then what other terrible, malicious things did the world have waiting for him?

Keith hurt enough already he didn't want to take the chance, but a tiny piece of him wanted to believe that life wasn't just suffering. He wanted to believe that out there his mother was waiting for him to find her, waiting to love him. So he'd look to the stars peddling as fast as he could, the blade on his hip becoming noticeably heavier as he pretended that he was flying far away.

He remembers the color as it leaked onto his own belly from his father's own. Hands that once spread him wide, digging tiny scars into his flesh, his heart, now grasped for life. The mouth that once spoke words of love, then possessive growels and gutteral sounds that'd be forever burned into his memory now gasped like a fish in need of water.

The knife that he had always kept at his hip and under his pillow dug itself deep into his father, cutting him easily despite shaking hands. He did not cry nor open his eyes, but waited till his father stilled before slipping out from under him and making his way to the shower where he watched the red bleed off his body and down the shower drain.

 

Red was beautiful. Keith did not know of bonds without alterier motives until he met her. She had opened up to him so quickly there was no fight or hesitating like some of his fellow paladins had to endure.

Her walls came down, mouth opened and Keith climbed aboard. When her jaws closed, he had never felt more safe in his life. No one could hurt him here. Red wouldn't allow it, he knew this with a certainty so fierce that he cried curled up in her seat, stroking the armrest.

She understood everything he kept hushed and bottled away in that moment when they linked, and Keith could have sworn that the quietest whine could be heard from outside as if she were crying aswell for her new paladin.

Keith wondered if this was what a mother felt like, and if his own mother would make him feel as safe as his lion.

Eventually he had to get out of Red to meet the newest Black paladin, who had been off on a diplomatic mission with the Altean Princesses advisor, Corin? Coran? Keith could not remember he was still buzzing with all that had happen since following the lanky kid and his friends to the blue lion.

Keith felt like things were finally starting to look up. He was in space, closer to finding his mother and learning more about himself. His father could no longer hurt him. And although he would not exactly call the other paladins friends, they didn't go out of their way to call him derogatory names or crowd him in the communal showers to mock his body, or degrade him with unwanted touches like the other students at the garrison.

Even if they sometimes forgot that Keith was there and made him feel left out, it hurt less than anything he had experienced thus far from other humans. It was a welcoming peace.

Keith waited as the black paladin exited his lion. The princess stood beside him eager to introduce the newest red paladin to the leader of Voltron. The tall man walked in large, confident strides towards them. His purple skin and glowing yellow eyes were the first thing to catch Keith's attention.

He had seen it before, galra soldiers, the enemy as he was always reminded. But here stood a galra as the leader of Voltron, a symbol of freedom. After the initial shock wore off, Keith took in the white hair with a tuft of black bangs, his galra tech arm that glowed with the same eerie purple as all of the other galra equipment, and finally his face which held a toothy grin.

That grin sent chills down his spine, and a familiar feeling washed over him: unsafe. The man, Kuro, as he introduced himself as, held out a hand. Keith moved reluctantly closer, he smelled of alpha which made Keith obey for the sake of not angering him.

He wondered if Kuro was excreting the scent on purpose to establish his power right away or if he was trying to out Keith by making him excrete his own omega scent instead of waiting politely for Keith to tell him later when they were more acquainted.

Biology worked against him again as his body reacted to the alphas scent, giving what Kuro must have wanted because the man's smile only grew larger with satisfaction, and something was in his eyes now. It looked possessive.

Keith took his hand, the grip strangling his fingers, scent suffocating him, he wanted to run far away.

"Welcome aboard, Keith."

\------------------

Keith looked at the hand waiting for him to grasp it and back up to the slate grey eyes that belonged to it. He felt like he would never get used to it in this reality: gentle eyes and gentle hands.

It terrified him.

He walked past Shiro knowing that it was rude, but without the alpha scent he was not obligated to accept anything from Shiro. It made him feel safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if some of the chapters are shorter or longer. I'm typing on my iPad and it's easier to keep up with grammatical errors when I write less, but I'd really like them to be longer for submersion sake. So, I'll do my best!
> 
> Note: it's 4:30 am good night! Hope you enjoyed!


	3. Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith meets with Red again. Kuro wants everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: noncon/rape? Is it rape if theyre not in control? It's probably rape.

The dim lighting in the still unfamiliar castle caused him to lose his way. He had only gotten up to grab something to drink until he realized he was awoken from sleep by an early heat. Now he was searching for somewhere safe.

He was sure it was the new environment and Kuro's overbearing alpha scent that caused his cycle to become irregular.

It was only a matter of time before the whole castle was going to be aware, his scent would make sure of that. He needed to hide, needed to find somewhere far away from the occupied rooms. Far away from Kuro.

Keith felt lightheaded but he continued to head in the direction he believed was unoccupied. He had checked the heat signatures earlier and if he was going in the right direction, he should be safe there with plenty of distance between himself and his fellow paladins.

There he would be able to ride out his heat, probably return before anyone would realize he was gone. He doubted they would come looking for him anyways.

The princess would perhaps notice. She had been watching Keith closely since introducing him to Kuro. He tried to decipher the meaning behind her stares. Sometimes he would catch her looking at him like an alpha would, and he had suspected at times that she was, but she never emitted her scent or used an alpha command to control a situation.

They all just followed her as if she were one without questioning just as everyone followed Kuro outside of Voltron business despite there being two other alphas in the pack. No one dared to challenge him.

When she wasn't looking at him like she wanted to devour him, Keith recognized something close to jealousy. Why? He could understand if she were an alpha why she'd be looking at him for the first reason.

He had been told countless times by men and women, even if it was unwanted, that his rarity as a male omega made him desirable. Something about his secondary gender made his fair skin, soft curves, and raven hair more attractive.

It made him feel fetishized. His personal space was constantly violated. His body. As always Keith would shut down to escape the feel of unwanted hands touching his skin, noses buried in his hair taking in deep inhales of his scent, occasionally lips coming dangerously close to his primary scent gland. Compliments became uncomfortable for him to bear.

It was an intimate act to scent someone, and Keith found himself one too many times at the receiving end of nonconsensual scenting. He'd sit in the shower till his skin blistered scarlet to get the smell off of him.

So why would she be jealous of him? Keith could not understand why anyone would want anything to do with his life. It was a continuous series of misfortunate events. Everything down to his heat was a burden. He had no one that cared to keep him around longer than a quick fuck.

Keith hurried down the vacant hall as a hot flash hit him suddenly. He felt like a furnace. He thought that he smelled alpha in the air, but figured it was his biology imagining what it craved. He all but ran down the hallway now.

Then he heard lewd sounds that stopped him dead in his tracks.

The noises were so real he doubted they could be conjured by his mind. It was just a door or two ahead of him. He slowed when he saw that one of the rooms had a faint glow coming from the door that had been left open half hazardously.

Against his instincts he peered inside. His whole body froze at the scene before him. There in the shadows of the dimly lit room the princess mewled under the administrations of the black paladin. He held her tightly in place as he fucked her from the side, one hand wrapped carefully around her neck and the other wrapped around the phallus above her clit.

What he saw wouldn't have surprised him at all if the princess wasn't an alpha. She was beautiful and exceptional in everything she did and Kuro was a handsome, powerful alpha.

But they were both alphas and on Earth it wasn't common or exactly socially acceptable. Male and female alphas produced weak litters, and it was seen as selfish to make the pack as a whole weaker for ones own desires. Pack always came first or at least that's what was hammered into their way of thinking.

Maybe it was different in space. Maybe here in space he wouldn't have to adhere to the same expectations that omegas had on Earth.

Keith tried to back out quietly but his heat, after breathing in the alpha scent saturated air, let out an involuntary moan as he tried to step away from the two alphas.

Kuro stopped then, causing the princess to let out a frustrated whine at the sudden halt of his thrusting. He sniffed the air, all but dropped the other alpha, and turned to look Keith in the eyes.

Kuro's pupils were blown, like a shark who scented blood. Keith knew he had to run. He stumbled on his feet as he tried to go from zero to one eighty down the dark hallway. Keith had no idea which rooms swung open or needed identification. At this point ownly luck was on his side and he never had much of that.

Every second was precious as he flew down the hallway pushing at each door with the little time he had. He could hear Kuro's loud strides as he was catching up to him. Finally at the end of the hall, Keith was running out of options.

He turned around to see that Kuro had slowed after realizing Keith had nowhere to go. It was the last door and Keith pressed frantically at the keypad hoping to get some kind of response from it.

When it did not respond, Kuro ran straight for him, and in a last ditch effort Keith pressed his palm flatly to the pad. The sound of a ding and doors sliding open rang gloriously in Keith's ears and he rolled into the room. Quickly he flattened his palm on the pad again, and the door slid shut in Kuro's face.

"Let me in!" The alpha snarled, flattening his own palm to the pad. Keith could hear the door fighting to remain closed or open. He looked down at the pad and saw a lock symbol he did not see from the outside and slid his digits across it. The door bolts clicked, and he backed away, watching as Kuro fought viciously to get inside.

He was safe in here.

Keith flicked on the lights, finally taking in the view of the room he'd be trapped in till his heat road out. It was a utility closet of some sorts with ancient Altean provisions stored inside.

He wondered if any were safe to consume since he'd be trapped here till Kuro's rut burned out, or till someone decided to come save him, but he doubted anyone wanted to challenge their alpha.

Keith wished he had more faith in his fellow paladins.

Kuro beated on the door long after Keith passed out from exhaustion, but when Keith finally woke up he was gone, and instead the littlest paladin, Paige? Pidge? was waiting for him outside the door. In her arms was a rough blanket that felt of wool, and breakfast. He opened the door for her and she pushed the contents into his arms.

"Kuro is pissed so you might want to stay in here for a little while longer. He's always an ass when he doesn't get what he wants might be easier to just give in to him." She said flatly. There was no disdain or worry for his wellbeing or well any kind of emotion in her words at all. It was almost mechanical.

Keith rejoined the rest of the crew after the last of his heat burned out. Nothing was said between him and the princess of what he saw.

The only words exchanged between them were of her lecturing Keith for missing so much training. Keith knew that Kuro would have had to at least have missed some training as well, but he didn't hear lectures directed towards the alpha prime.

Typical alpha behavior. He had never met one that understood omega struggles. They were always too impatient and not sympathetic.

Keith shuddered when an image of Kuro in his full rut fury flashed across his mind. He was relieved, almost overjoyous that he was lucky enough to hide himself away before his heat made him weak and wanting any alpha knot or fangs at his throat. The idea of being Kuro's omega terrified him he couldn't imagine being bonded to him for life.

Kuro had actually kept his distance from him for the first couple days since their incident. It wasn't until after a mission and they had finished up in the showers did they speak to each other for the first time that wasn't voltron related.

Sure they had said together a total of five words to each other during the mission when Kuro had saved Keith from a blast. He had asked Keith if he was alright and Keith replied a simple yes as his answer, but nothing else was said between the two not even when they all sat in the common room before hitting the showers.

It had felt strange when Kuro saved him. Not that he was developing feelings for the black paladin but that Kuro had tried too hard to save him, like he was trying to puff his chest out big to the omega and show off.

It was suspicious behavior to say nonetheless and Keith was keeping his eye on him.

So when Kuro had stopped him in the showers after everyone had left, all of Keith's warning signals went off. It was a soft hand on his hip from behind and one uttered word that made him freeze.

"Wait."

Kuro had sounded like an explanation was on the tip of his tongue but nothing came out. Instead he moved closer behind Keith completely disregarding his personal space.

"Are you hurt?" The words would have sounded sincere to anyone else but Keith understood them for what they really were: someone looking out for their property.

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Why do you even care?" Keith immediately regretted his outburst.

"Because you're my omega." The words were low and possessive.

Keith swung around freeing himself from Kuro's loose grip.

"I'm no ones omega." Keith tried to say as confidently as possible despite the overbearing scent of alpha weighing on him.

Keith's defiant behavior must have angered the alpha because Kuro shoved him into the shower wall, his head connecting with the hard surface painfully.

"You're mine. You have ALWAYS been mine, and it will remain that way until you're dead."

Kuro said it with the ferocity of an alpha command and Keith was submitting against his will, baring his neck to the alpha in front of him. Kuro trapped him with his arms, bent his face forward until he was nuzzling the gland beneath his jaw. He was scenting him.

Kuro pressed his nose harder into the skin, inhaling deeply as he did. His hips thrusting forward to rub his cock against Keith's belly. Guttural noises came deep from within Kuro as he became harder and the scent gland on Keith's neck swelled.

"You deny that you're mine but your body reacts so nicely to me."

Keith's body threatens to escape within itself as it's learned to do after years of abuse. He can hear the sounds slowly fading out, skin numb to the touch, vision blacking out, but then it all comes crashing back and he is almost sent into a sensory overload when Keith senses the beginnings of a rut.

The pace at which Kuro was grinding into Keith quickened, pushing him harder into the cold wall. One of the hands that held his hips in place came up to tug roughly at the nape of his hair, causing him to wince in pain and look up at the alpha. Kuro's eyes were blown out much like that night, his fangs elongated, claws digging into him. 

He was in full rut and there was no escaping for Keith.

"Kuro please." Keith pleaded on deaf ears.

The alpha nuzzled his cheek to Keith's, and in any other situation it would have been comforting, but the action made him nauseous, head spinning from the over saturation of alpha scent. He was sure everyone would avoid him for a week no matter how many showers he took.

"I've been good," Kuro purred into his ear, "holding myself back. I wanted you. That day..ever since I smelled you. You don't know how hard I've worked to keep my hands off of you."

"Kuro–"

"But I won't wait any longer. I want inside you. You're going to be filled with my seed and you're going to be mine."

Keith struggled some more within his grip, screamed on the top of his lungs. No one was coming they were already far away in their rooms, so Keith tried to fight him. He jabbed and punched but Kuro gave him no room to put enough force behind his hits, so he tried to bite him, resulting in the opposite reaction, Kuro liked it. Keith could feel a ripple of pleasure roll through the alpha's muscles.

"I can keep you safe. I'm the only one." Kuro tried to coax him, but Keith saw it as it was: a threat.

Keith only fought more against him. He struggled, shoving and twisting until Kuro, having enough of his resistance, flipped him around smoothly. His face connected with the cold tile, Kuro pushed flushed against, so that even Keith's soft semi-hard cock pressed against the chilly surface.

The weight of Kuro was so much that Keith could only produce short, shallow breathes making him feel even more lightheaded.

Kuro held him now with one hand on the back of his throat, the other hand slowly trailing down his back, rounding the curve of his ass, and slipping between his thighs. His fingers ghosted closely over his lips. Keith let out a desperate whine knowing what was finally coming.

He couldn't do anything to stop it. Even if he was the red paladin that saved thousands of people he wasn't strong enough to save himself. 

After much exploration, Kuro's fingers finally slipped between his lips. They felt around the velvety flesh inside, one finger stopping to rub his small clit. Keith's body responded involuntarily making him more wet. He could feel it dripping down his inner thighs and it made him feel sick.

He sucked his bottom lip between his teeth and bit down till he tasted blood to stop himself from moaning. He didn't want to give Kuro the satisfaction he was trying to coax out of him.

The alpha shoved his fingers deep inside, fully acquainting himself with Keith. The omega gasped at the unwanted intrusion, his walls flexing around the thick digits. As quickly as they entered, they slid out of him, leaving him hollow for only a moment before shoving his cock deep inside where his fingers once were.

Keither let out a howl, nasty and raspy. Kuro's hands moved then from his neck to close itself around his mouth. He could barely breathe now as Kuro's thumb rested carelessly on one of his nostrils. Tears and snot pooled onto the alpha's knuckles. 

He could only whimper now as Kuro eased his cock further into him untill they were flushed together, belly to back. 

Kuro rocked his hips slowly, waiting for the slick to coat him fully, and then he was pulling out, tip barely inside, and then he was slamming back in. 

He was big, if big was even the word for it. Keith had had a few partners in his life, not all unwanted, but he had never been with someone who made him feel so full. He was sure Kuro was going to rip him in half.

It was painful.

More tears ran down his cheek and onto Kuro's thick fingers. His body felt feverish from the work, but he felt numb inside. 

Kuro puffed behind him, grunting and burying his nose into the nape of Keith's neck, breathing him in. He did not let up on his vicious pace. Keith was seeing stars. He felt as though he'd pass out at any moment. 

Then Kuro growled lowly in his ear, and Keith could feel something trying to press itself past his already too stretched cunt. It was his knot. 

Kuro jerked Keith's head back, bending his neck impossibly far back until it ached. He nuzzled the swollen scent gland once more. Teeth and wet lips trailing across the bulge of it, waiting. Keith felt with every thrust that the knot was closer to breaching his inner lips.

And with a pop that made the pit of his stomach turn, Kuro had knotted him. He could feel the hot seed filling his belly. Kuro jerked, shuttered and opened his mouth wide as he sank his teeth into the gland, which made a sickly pop as well.

Keith went limp with defeat, his body burned, the liquid coming out of his gland felt like acid. In this moment he wanted to die, but the omega side fought him immediately. _This isn't your life anymore._ A voice so clear in his head spoke to him. 

He did not belong to himself anymore. He belonged to Kuro.

 

The memory left as quickly as it came as he walked down the familiar yet different halls of the Castle of Lions. He could not say that he was happy to be home, but he was anxious and painfully happy to be reunited with Red again.

His heart ached to be with her. Would she be the same lion though or would she be like the man that resembled Kuro but wasn't?

Would she accept him? Even if she didn't want him as her paladin he'd hope that she'd let down her barrier and let him lay on her massive paw so he could feel her one last time.

It had been so long he forgot what it was like to be around such massive wonders. His life had become so mundane since stumbling into this reality. Everyone seemed quite ordinary, and the only thing odd about them is that people seemed to be much more friendlier to one another. 

Not that there wasn't creeps and assholes in this reality, the Galra Empire still existed here, but Keith saw more often charity and random acts of kindness than what he was used to.

He remembers the first night he was here how an elderly woman that looked feline gave him somewhere warm to stay when he had nothing. Keith was half expecting thugs or Galra soldiers when he awoke, but all he was greeted with was another warm meal and some things to help him for a couple days.

Keith shares a small grin at the thought of the woman, and he notices someone staring. It wa the man named Shiro. Not Kuro.

"Is there something on your mind?"

Shiro asks him and Keith can sense the uncertainty in his question as if he was unsure if he should even ask. It was strange, almost refreshing how this Kuro behave.  _Shiro._ Keith corrected himself.

"No, just..it's not important really.

They continued the rest of the walk in silence until they came upon the command deck where the princess was waiting for them.

 _Everything is different._ He had to remind himself as he looked upon the princess who was like looking upon a burning sun and not a cold moon. Her smile reachered her eyes causing them to crinkle in the corners making it genuine.

Her skin was a lot warmer and she did not emit a heavy aura. Of course she didn't thought she wasn't alpha. Nobody was here. Shiro spoke up when Keith didn't take her hand to his surprise.

"Keith has requested to see the lions. I told him he could, I didn't think you'd mind."

"Of course, the other paladins are here as well. Ill tell them to meet us in the bay. Do you plan to pilot Red? She already has two paladins although our Keith is busy with the blades. Keith are you part galra as well?" Allura waited for him to reply to the questions he didn't quite have answers for.

"l–I don't know. If she would have me..but I don't want to impose on her other paladins since I don't belong here," the black paladin was looking at him again with those same pitying eyes, "..and I'm part galra?" 

Keith's question was genuine in its curiosity. He had always known that his mother was "beyond the stars" as his father had told him, but he didn't know who or what she was. Her whole existence was a mystery to him. All he had was this delicate silvery-white blade that was somehow connected to her. 

The blade had saved him on many accounts but never brought him any closer to finding his mother. If anything it brung with it more questions: Who forged it? Where did she get it? Why did she have it? What was this strange symbol?

Keith was so afraid of losing the only thing tying him to his mother, that he barely brought it out especially not in front of all these strangers. He doubted they would outright take his things, but being too careful was all he knew how to be. 

They approached the entrance of the hangar and Keith could see the blue force fields of the lions. A tall, lanky, boy with the most beautiful tan sat on some cargo boxes not to far away from him now. Keith's heart thumped hard in his chest as he thought of the only person he would consider a friend. 

It was like seeing a ghost of the blue paladin.

Of course they were different in someways, the tan and height, but the two blue paladins looked as though they could have been long distance relatives.

"Paladins." Allura addressed them. The blue paladin stood up from where he was busying himself with his tablet, and held his hand out for Keith to shake.

"Hello my names Lance, Lance Mc—whoah you're beau– Keith! Hey buddy! Is this Keith? I mean cause he's definitely a clone of my favorite mullet head. Nice to meet you." Lance's eyes went from awed to panicking to shifting back and forth not fully looking at the other red paladin. 

Keith shook his hand despite being taken aback by this Lance's loud personality. He didn't know what to do with his own hands after the hand shake, so he worked them through his long inky hair, and waited for the boy to stop rambling.

"Yes, this is Keith. He also piloted the red lion–"

"Oh." Lance blurted out over Allura.

"Ooooh no. No way. Uh uh. Red only has two daddy's and Keith and I do NOT like to share." 

"l-l would never try to come in between Red and her paladins. I just wanted to feel her connection one last time..at least." Keith had his hands up trying to assure Lance, who was ready to take on this new rival.

"You're not trying to fight me? You sound so... _nice._ And SAD! What the hell man you make me feel like a jerk now. Being Keith and all I was expecting a challenge to my position."

Lance was scratching at the nape of his neck. He gave Keith an apologetic look, and waited for Keith to speak.

"I'm afraid I'm not much like your red paladin." Lance's cheeks turned red at the mention of Keith being his paladin, and the other Keith took note of that.

"Thankfully."

Shiro chimed in with a wide grin on his face. Hunk and Pidge, who had remained quiet while Lance made a fool of himself, joined in with their own questions for the other red paladin.

"Would you like to see her now?"

Shiro placed his human hand on Keith's shoulder and he flinched. He was caught off guard by the man's gesture, and he was sure the black paladin noticed him flinch as well because he retracted his hand as if Keith were fire and placed it awkwardly at his side. 

"Yes, I would like that."

Red was in the back right-side of the room across from the blue lion. He had walked a lot slower to her than he had anticipated. Keith had daydreamed himself running emotionally towards the lion, her dropping her shield just in time for him to fall on her massive paw in a big, long awaited embrace. 

He would sob and call her name and she would whine and tell him everything would be ok now.

But it was nothing like he'd imagined. Instead he stood in front of her, quiet, motionless because of shyness of the other paladins seeing him so vulnerable or if it was his own hesitation at connecting with her once again.

"Red.." His hand causing ripples throughout the force field where he placed his palm delicately.

"Its me, Keith. You don't have to accept me as your paladin, but please...please let me know you recognize me. Please remember me. I need you." His forehead rested on the barrier as he earnestly said the words that were meant just for Red. 

The other paladins listened on patiently as Keith tried to reconnect with the lion that was so familiar to him. 

"Red,  _please!_ _"_ His voice became more urgent as the panic started to set in. She wasn't going to open up to him. She wasn't going to accept him. She didn't even know him. She wasnt his Red. 

He was alone.

He had nothing.

No one.

He had never felt such rejection. It was greater than anything he had felt before, and it made him feel empty, scared. His chest ached like it was going to give up.

" _Please!_ " 

He banged his other fist on the barrier, his knees gave out and he sank in front of the stoic lion defeated. She remained quiet not giving any hint of life as if she were just made of various materials and not sentient magic.

"Hey buddy, don't be too upset she may not be your Red but she'll warm up to you when she gets to know ya." Lance tried at comforting the stranger that looked so much like his dearest friend. 

"You don't think I know that!?" Keith whipped his head around to the blue paladin, baring his teeth. He hadn't meant to snap at the kind boy, but he knew it was true what he said.

He just didn't want it to be.

Embarassed, he ran from the room. He didn't want their pitying eyes on him. He needed to be alone, far away from Red. Far away from the very reminder that he was utterly alone in this universe.

 ----------------

Shiro watched as Keith escaped from the room. He knew there was nowhere the boy could go unless he stole one of their pods, but Coran had them locked away especially for this occasion.

They had all prepared for this to not go well, Shiro having alerted Allura secretly on their way back to the castle. And although they did not like the idea of keeping Keith as a prisoner, it was safer for all of them, including Keith, if he stayed with them in the Castle of Lions. 

Shiro had already deduced that Keith was a viable source of information for both Voltron and Zarkon before Allura had suggested interrogating the poor boy. Luckily, Shiro had convinced her that friendship would be the easiest and the most moral way to handle the situation. 

And so he was relieved to say nonetheless when Allura greeted the red paladin with open arms despite the paranoia she had expressed to Shiro moments ago.

"I'll try to talk to him Lance." 

Shiro offered him a small shrug and an apologetic look before following the other red paladin out of the hangar. Keith was fast as he remembered him to be the first day Shiro saw him, he was already out of sight. 

The black paladin flew down the hallway using his instincts to guide him in what he thought was the direction that would lead him to the boy. Shiro was running down yet another hallway when he passed the entrance to another wing of the castle. 

There was a door left ajar most likely not left open by any of his fellow paladins, so he approached the door quietly and listened. He could hear sniffling from the other side and slid the door slightly more open to peak inside.

It was a miracle Shiro found him with all the twists and turns of the castle.

Keith sat with his knees tucked up against his chest in what seemed to be another old lounge room most likely for the numerous guests the castle used to hold. There was an average sized viewing window, sofas, and a small bar area.

The boy hadn't realized that Shiro had entered the room, or if he did he didn't acknowledge him. His hands continued to grip his ankles, chin resting on his knees as he cried. The sound was heartbreaking, Shiro felt like he was intruding on something private.

He almost turned back, but Keith looked up and his eyes looked crushed, lips incredibly red from the boy's teeth abusing them, likely to hold back his sobbing. Shiro couldn't leave him alone like this. 

He sunk down next to Keith and didn't say anything, instead he let the silence become comfortable between them as Keith let out all his disappointment. He didn't speak until the boy became quiet beside him.

"You know..when I was in Galra captivity I cried like this in the beginning too. I felt like I had lost everything forever: Earth, my family, friends, my life. And I did for a time being."

"I lost Pidges farther and brother. I lost my freedom, and any connection to home, but as time went on and I persevered, I made new friends and new family, and I slowly regained most of the things I had lost. So I guess what I'm trying to say is maybe it will be the same for you..maybe you will find new people who will become your family."

He felt the boy looking at him now, and he turned his head to meet Keith's gaze. It was the softest and most unguarded countenance, he didn't think Keith could even look at anyone that way. 

He waited, but the red paladin never averted his gaze instead he inched his face a little closer to his and parted his perfect bruised lips, saying the two words that made Shiro shiver with relief.

"Thank you."

The words were so soft he almost missed them. Shiro felt himself inching closer to the boy, slowly as if being pulled by an unseen force. Keith remained unreactive aside from the thick brows that had knitted themselves together.

Shiro looked back to the boy's lips and back up to his eyes once more. He didn't know what he was thinking, maybe he wasnt at all, but he was leaning subconsciously closer to those lips. He reached his hand up to brush the damp, oil slick hair that begged to have fingers run through it, pushing it away from the boy's face.

His fingers froze in terror at what was revealed after Shiro tucked the strands behind his ear. The black paladin was still unsure if what he saw was real, so he reached out to the space under Keith's jaw and ear.

"Keith, w-what happened to you?!"

He brushed his fingers over the white, puffy teeth marks that rested their starkly on Keith's skin, gasping at the thickness of the scar tissue. He understood scars like these, having some of his own. They were made to be painful, a permanent reminder of the abuse they endured.

The boy jerked away from him, and Shiro wanted to quickly gather him in his arms. Keith was already on his feet, but instead of running away again, his feet were planted, ready to defend himself from Shiro as if he were the one that hurt him.

"D–Don't touch me! You shouldn't go around touching people you hardly know! Do I ask you about you're galra arm or the scar across your nose?!"

Keith's finger jabbed in the direction of Shiro's galra tech arm, and he was full of questions that would have to wait. Questions like: Did his realitie's Shiro not have a galra arm? Keith had never shown any interest in it, so he assumed that he already knew everything there was to know about it.

"Look Keith, I'm sorry I shouldn't have laid my hands on you, but if you're in trouble..if this person is after you still.."

"I'm fine." Keith said it with such anger directed at Shiro he was unsure if he'd ever recover the little progress he'd made with Keith.

The other red paladin looked completely betrayed. Something in Shiro told him that the boy had never planned for him to see the scar he kept guarded by his silky black hair.

"Are you sure–"

"He's dead." 

Keith's words were final. Shiro knew he would only anger the boy more if he continued to pry answers out of him, so he backed up, hands in surrender. 

"Keith, I'm really sorry, ok? If you'll let me I'll show you to Keith's room while we prepare you one of your own. I'll even ask Allura to pick you a room furthest from mine."

Shiro could swear the boy looked relieved at the promise of being as far from him as possible. It made him feel guilty for even existing in front of Keith.

Shiro felt lost.

People had always liked him as long as he didn't give them a reason not to, but Keith couldn't even look at him for more than five seconds without looking away like a hurt animal. 

Maybe this was a job for someone else. Another paladin would have to try to break through Keith's walls until the boy was ready to let him in, and if he wasn't then it was something Shiro was going to have to accept.

Perhaps Lance would be better suited. Keith did seem the least alarmed by him, or Hunk, the most harmless of the group.

Shiro thought on it some more as he walked ahead of the red paladin, aware of eyes watching his every move.

Shiro sighed. He was going to be waiting a long time.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As y'all have read, yes they did not kiss once in this scene. Someones going to find that weird, but it's a real thing and usually done by people to express their lack of feelings, romantic or otherwise, for the person they're fucking. 'No kissing' rule during sex is a real thing but I'm sure everyone knows that but just in case.
> 
> \- I'm sorry about pidgey but I needed her to be different than canon pidge so I made her very neutral to everything. She really doesn't have thoughts or feelings on anything but research and tech. She's very clinical, totally failed her bedside manners course lol.
> 
> \- in alluras society, female alphas were treated much like male omegas from earth. They weren't very desirable in outed society (because of being highly sexualized and not efficiently compatible with all genders) and often would be subjected to terrible treatment. So she's definitely feeling somethings towards Keith but we'll clear that up later.
> 
> \- everyone in Keith's reality has abo dynamics but just like real life, different creatures from different planets have different genitalia and mating processes. So allura's genitalia would function differently than someone's on earth but look similar enough that Keith could discern what it is and how it works.
> 
> \- bonding hurts if it's not during heats no matter the amount of pleasure the omega is or isn't in. Bonding also consists of both knotting and penetration of the scent gland together. Knitting can be done outside of heat but with lots of prep. During heat the omega doesn't need much prepping as the body does that naturally.


	4. Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith + Keith = weeb Lance nicknaming skills. Kuro is even more of a creep and Shiro is confused/ trying to do the right thing. Also some omega Keith feels somewhere in here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very serious warning!!
> 
> Warning: Piquerism (from the French piquer - "to prick") is a sexual interest in penetrating the skin of another person with sharp objects (such as pins, razors, knives, etc). 
> 
> I will provide a queue such as ' when the trigger warning starts and will end with a ' for people who want to read the chapter but want to skip the detailed stuff.

"You should wait here."

"But this is my room."

"Yeah but give me a second with him. Shiro says he's really flighty with new people plus he seems to like me the most."

"That's a first."

"Don't be jealous Kogane because a pretty boy likes me."

"You wish."

Keith could hear voices as he was drifting out of sleep. He didn't get nearly as much sleep as he needed, so when he awoke his eyes burned and his body felt like lead. He was barely able to prop himself up on his elbows when the blue paladin came into view.

The boy named Lance wore a gentle expression on his face, one that someone would wear when trying to make up with someone. Keith uses one of his hands to wipe at his eyes to clear his groggy vision.

"Hey buddy." The voice was soft. "I thought I'd introduce you to your double, let you too get the shock and awkwardness out of the way before meeting with everyone else for dinner, that cool?"

Keith looked over to the doorway, and standing there leaning on the door frame was an almost mirrored version of himself. He was lean, not an omega, and wore the expression of someone who did not know how to be passive. Fire. Aggression. Impulse. Headstrong. Alpha. These were the words that Keith felt when he stared back at the boy.

Maybe that's why this Red had denied him, he was nothing like her paladin. 

Keith kicked his legs over the side of the bed and planted his feet firmly. He brushed his fingers through his long strands the best he could and walked over to the other red paladin. He stood in front of him and held his hand out, noticing that this Keith was slightly taller than him.

"Hello, I'm Keith."

"Kogane too?"

"No, Kang."

"Korean?"

"Yeah, well sorta. My father's mother was Japanese apparently; I never met them though."

"What about your mother?"

Before Keith could answer him, Lance cleared his throats and threw an arm around him  causing him to flinch much like he did with Shiro, but Lance didn't notice like the black paladin had and instead pulled him in the direction of the dining hall.

"Enough interrogations, mullet I'm sure your twin bro is hungry." Lance's stomach growled then and Keith couldn't help but let out the smallest chuckle, ducking his head as he did to conceal his smile away from the paladins.

"I think it's YOU who is hungry, Lance." His Keith rolled his eyes.

Lance only waved his hand to dismiss the boy. They didn't walk quietly down the hallway like he and Shiro had. Lance was a chatterbox and he made sure to fill Both Keith's in on castle gossip, and gave the newest Keith backgrounds on the whole Voltron family. 

They reached the dining hall finally and everyone was in their usual spots. Keith didn't have a spot, so he waited for the red and blue paladins to sit down before deciding his own seat. He scanned the room and saw Shiro at the far end of the table listening to Allura and Coran as they talked back and forth. 

He must have stared for too long because Shiro turned slightly in his direction and glanced at him from the corners of his eyes. His expression was unreadable and he made no attempt to address Keith, not even a smile or nod. He had promised Keith space perhaps this was it.

Keith sat on the other side of Lance, which somehow caught the attention of one of the other paladins, Hunk.

"Hey Lance, you look like a Keith sandwich sitting between those two." He pointed to Keith and the other red paladin.

"Or is it a red paladin sandwich?" The green paladin, Pidge piped in.

"That is a truly deep and philosophical question my pidgey." Lance looked at the two paladins then and Keith swore the Cuban boy was blushing. "You know we can't go around calling them both Keith we're going to end up confusing ourselves. Y'all need nicknames."

Lance declared and threw his arms around both of the Keith's, pulling them in snugly. Their Keith escaped the grasp almost immediately while he sat there unsure if he would offend the boy if he followed his otherself's lead. He tested the waters and slipped out slowly from beneath Lance's hold, and luckily he paid no attention to him to his relief.

Their conversation had caught the attention of their leader now, and he all but abandoned the previous conversation with the Alteans as he turned to watch his fellow paladins, and not-so-subtly stole glances at Keith.

"How about K1 and K2?" Pidge suggested.

"Nah, sounds like robot names." Hunk had interjected.

"Then what suggestion do you have?" She was challenging him now.

"Nothing, I was hoping one of y'all had an idea."

"I had an idea but you rejected it."

"Ok, a better idea than pet robot names."

"I got it!" Lance snapped his fingers, startling the longer-haired Keith beside him.

"Nana and Hachi, You know from the manga Nana. Our Keith will be Nana since he's edgy and came first and this Keith will be Hachi since he has long pretty hair and seems to be nicer than mullet over here."

His Keith grimaced at him. 

"You're not calling me Nana and I am NOT edgy."

"Yeah, you kinda are dude." Hunk had said nonchalantly and Keith only frowned more. 

"How about K?"

Keith had not expected to hear the voice that chimed in. His head darted in the direction of Shiro, but the man wasn't looking at him. He was focusing on the blue paladin.

"K? What kind of name is that? This isn't a James Bond film, Shiro." Lance rolled his eyes at what he thought was an absurd choice of a name.

"I like it." 

Keith, or K, finally spoke at the table and everyone stopped and looked at him. It made him nervous, so he spoke again hoping to satisfy them so they'd go back to talking amongst themselves. 

"K is fine." He said more confidently.

K spared a glance at Shiro who gave him a curt nod and turned back to his food and the Alteans. Lance was still expressing his distaste for the new name and Pidge was staking claim to the idea that Shiro clearly stole from her suggestion she gave earlier.

He was happy they were no longer focusing on him and ate his food quietly. The humming noise of all the conversations being shared back and forth put him in a comfortable state. Quiet amongst people always made him feel nervous.

It reminded him of meals between his old paladins, which always seemed a lot less warm and familial than the one he was having now.

Dinner had gone surprisingly well. It was a relief for K who often ate alone or with people who could not stand to be with each other for too long. He couldn't remember the last time he enjoyed a meal this much.

Everyone did their share of cleaning up and afterwards hit the showers except K. He stayed behind in the common room and waited as everyone finished up in the showers before taking his own. 

He still wasn't comfortable with the idea of being vulnerable in the shower with other people despite how good-natured these paladins seemed to be. And their was also the issue of his body. He wasn't ready to bare to this world all that he was because he was sure there would be questions. 

When he was almost positive that everyone had finished, K headed to the showers.

He had came prepared, wrapped tightly in a robe Allura had provided him with earlier instead of a towel that would not offer much coverage for his body. It made him feel safer although the robe wasn't much more material.

He stepped inside the showering area from the locker room. It was still foggy and humid from the previous showers, so he walked almost blindly towards one of the shower nozzles. Suddenly, he heard the sound of feet slapping on the wet surface and turned his body in the direction of the sound.

It was Shiro. A slight panick came over him, and he knew he shouldn't be, but so much of this reminded him of Kuro and that time in this same shower room. Shiro noticed his panicking, noticed how he edged further away from.

"Its ok I was just leaving."

Shiro moved closer to him instead of leaving like Keith had hoped. The black paladin's hands were up like he was surrendering, and he continued to come closer into view. And that's when he saw them littered across the man's body. 

Scars of different colors, shapes and sizes covered the black paladin's body like splattered paint art. He had expected all the paladins to have scars of some degree, but that's not what startled him. 

Keith recognized the scars of having been tortured. There was something about the scars of intended and well-placed wounds that stood out from random wounds gained during battle.

 

He stood in front of the full length mirror gently pressing on the puffed up skin below his left breast. Next to it was the healing scabs of Kuro's hard work from last week. It should hurt him, but he was already becoming used to the pain almost to the point where he couldn't even feel the objects break through his skin.

Keith wondered if that was a defense of some sort that his body created to protect him.

His fingers traced the other various scars, lighter now that they weren't angry with inflammation. Keith placed his own digits over the puncture marks Shiro's claws had left on his hip from a month ago. They were deep and he was sure the scars would stay with him for sometime.

He wouldn't even have them at all if Kuro would allow him to use a healing tank, but the scars were like little trophies he would visit when catching Keith changing or coming back from the showers not fully dressed yet and remind him of when and how he got them as if Keith could ever forget.

Each memory was burned into his scull for more than one lifetime, and it made it almost unbearable to look at his own body.

The sound of his door swooshing open made his heart pound wildly in his chest. Whoever it was he did not want them to see him like this. 

It was Kuro.

Keith wished then that it was anyone but him. His crooked grin deepened when his yellow eyes scanned over Keith's half naked form. He knew that look, and he half-wished he was in heat as to throw the alpha into rut rather than go through another one of Kuro's favorite pastimes again so soon.

"Beautiful."

Kuro was in front of him with three big strides. His hand cupped Keith's face and he dragged his clawed thumb across his bottom lip, dipping the tip just barely inside to feel the wetness of his inner lip.

"Mine."

Keith stood there obediently as his biology instructed him to, although, he wanted to scream and rage against the alpha in front of him.

"You know, we've never done it in your room before. What kind of alpha am I that has never bedded his omega in their own nest?"

 _Its because you're not invited._ Is what Keith wants to say, but his body reacts differently. He dips his head down and to the side exposing his bond mark to the alpha and whines sympathetically at obviously angering his alpha, backing up towards his nest.

Kuro purrs, satisfied at the invitation and follows Keith. The omega stops in front of it not wanting to crawl inside, fighting his instincts to be a good omega.

He crawls inside anyways and Kuro is right behind him. He settles on his back and Kuro towers over him, leaning his face closer to his, and Keith thinks that tonight is the night Kuro is finally going to kiss him, but at the last minute those lips change course.

They land where they always do: on top of Keith's bond mark.

Its not that he wanted Kuro to kiss him out of feelings it's just that he was curious. Of all his partners he fucked none of them ever kissed him. Granted, they were quick fucks and Keith gave them know time for foreplay, so perhaps it was his fault. But, Kuro had all the time in the world to kiss Keith and he never once showed the slightest interest. Maybe he was just unkissable?

"Kuro.."

"hmm?"

"Why do you never kiss me?"

"Because I don't love you"

"Is that everyone's reason for not kissing someone?"

"No, but it is mine."

"mm.."

It made sense. Keith didn't love any of his partners, which explained why he had glossed over such an intimate engagement. Maybe he was like Kuro. Or maybe he could always sense that it was his partners that didn't want to kiss him..like Kuro. Maybe he was never loved.

Kuro nibbled at the bond mark, knowing that it always drew out the little moans he loved so much from Keith. He could feel the alpha's toothy smirk on his skin, and wrapped his legs around the man, pulling him tightly to himself,p to urge him to get it over with. 

Kuro's hands slipped out from under him when Keith did that, and disappeared under Keith's pillow.

"What's this?"

Keith almost asked what he was referring to, but then he became unrealistically still. The color drained out of him and his palms became clammy.

His mothers knife.

Kuro had never been in his room, therefore, has never seen or accidentally seen his mothers knife. It did not exist as far as Kuro knew. He pulled it out of its hiding place.

"This blade..it looks familiar. I feel like I have seen this before..Where did you get this?"

"I've had it all my life, since Earth."

"Hmm..It's a beautiful blade. I bet it cuts nicely. I wonder do you know the feel of this blade on your skin?" 

Kuro took the blade then and ran it flatly down his chest to his pants waist. Keith sucked in a breath, and did his best to steady his voice.

"No, but I know how it feels when it sinks into the bellies of my enemies."

Kuro paused then, a smile grew widely on his sinister face, and he grinned his hips from where he sat straddling Keith.

"You know sometimes I think I could love you when you say things like that instead of acting like a weak omega."

Keith didn't reply. He didn't need to validate himself or win Kuro's approval. He was happiest when the man was away on missions or ignoring him when busy with the princess, which whom on more than one occasion Keith caught Kuro kissing.

Kuro flipped the blade over now, the tip just piercing the first few layers of his skin, just enough to sting. Keith hissed as Kuro drug the blade up to just below his ribcage. It was going to leave a nasty scratch but nothing that would scar.

"Was it here?"

Keith knew he was asking about the enemies he spoke of earlier, but he didn't answer. Kuro continued to drag the blade across his abdomen, same pressure. Glancing down, he could see the lines already beginning to form.

"Or here?"

He chuckled then and placed the blade on top Keith's belly. The blade was cold and made him shiver. Kuro worked at undoing his own pants, heard them fall to the ground, then the alpha was working on his own, hoisting Keith up and pulling them around his ankles leaving him in only his underwear.

The black paladin nuzzled one of his knees and licked the skin there before trailing kisses down his inner thigh. He hovered just above Keith's crotch, breathed in, and traced the tip of his nose along the omegas small bulge.

He looked up at the omega boy, smirked, and palmed Keith untill he was fully hard. Fingers looped themselves now into his underwear and tugged them off, exposing his cock and cunt to the chilly, sterile air of his room. 

Kuro examined him as he always did before trailing more kisses along his inner thighs, one after another. He grabbed the knife off of Keith's belly as he did, and it disappeared at Kuro's side.

the alpha grabbed both his legs then and hoisted them over and onto his shoulders, bending Keith in half as he kissed the many scars littered on Keith hips and lower belly. He took especially long kissing the area just below Keith's belly button.

"When are you going to give me a pup? We've been doing this for months, but your belly hasn't grown?"

The alpha let out a low growl deep from within his throat as if trying to express his impatience with his omega. Keith panicked. He was convinced that Kuro would not be interested in having any pups with him, but here the alpha was, gently nuzzling the area he would be carrying his child like it was the most precious thing in Kuro's life.

Keith didn't know how to feel about that. He had never planned to be a parent. The very thought of it made him sick to his stomach, and although he was an omega, he never had the paternal instincts he was suppose to be born with. Maybe he was born without them. Maybe his father had burned those instincts out of him long ago. Maybe he was broken.

"You're not barren or on birth control are you? Your an omega you should be with child, my child!" 

"I am an omega, but I am also a man, a human man. If you wanted an omega that could carry children more easily you should have mated a human female. I don't know how it works for Galra, but that's how it is for us humans."

Keith was having so many feeelings. He hated feeling anything around Kuro that wasn't hate, but he was feeling guilt. Inadequate. Broken. It was already hard enough being a male omega on Earth now he was having to deal with the same ignorance in space. Male omega's stronger scents attracted more mates than female omegas, but carrying a child full term was harder for them.

This often led angry and ignorant alpha's to believe male omegas used their scent to trap healthy alpha's into bonding since finding a mate was harder for them traditionally, such as dating and marriage. No one wanted a mate that couldn't carry full term after all. So Keith and other omegas like him were often subject to scrutiny thanks to this stigma.

"What are you trying to say?

"I'm saying..."

Kuro rose up now, nails digging into the flesh where thighs met torso, and stared Keith down like prey. He was waiting for Keith to say one wrong word.

"I was carrying your child, but I lost it."

"My child? You lost it? You don't seem too upset about it."

The alpha's nails dug deeper into Keith's flesh with his growing anger. 

"I did not purposefully have a miscarriage. I know that's what you think, but I didn't know I was even pregnant untill..."

Keith remembers the blood, the pain, and passing out. When he awoke he was in the blue paladins arms and being taken without Kuro's knowledge to a healing pod. It was the second nicest gesture anyone had shown him since joining Voltron.

"Enough we will just have to try again."

Keith was hoping to be cast aside, but he remembered the bond mark, powerful enough to make even Kuro stay. Someone who didn't love him. 

'Kuro had the knife in his hand once again. He leaned back and looked at the smoothness of Keith's inner thighs.

"That's going to have to change.." 

He whispered mostly to himself, but Keith's keen hearing picked it up. He squeezed his eyes shut as Kuro traced the blade along the flesh there. He stopped at the lower half of Keith's thigh and pressed the tip harder, breaching the skin. Keith whined as it pressed further into the soft tissue there. 

Tears pooled in the corners of his eyes as Keith bit back a whimper. The area throbbed and became warm. He was sure he was bleeding now. Kuro dragged the knife up his thigh never releasing the pressure, and Keith could definitely feel something wet trailing down his thighs. 

Kuro stopped, released the blade, and bent down to lap at the lines of blood. A primal growl ripped through the silence as Kuro tasted him. 

The alpha continued to lick further down, licked the crease of his thigh, his outer lips, and dipped his tongue deep inside until Kuro's lips were buried in his folds. The black paladin lapped viciously, darting his tongue deep inside him, not quite filling him like his cock did, but enough to make the omega squeeze around the muscle and mewl.

Keith abhorred the way Kuro made his body react. He felt as though his body were a traitor. That it wasn't his own because it behaved the way it did although he hated the alpha above him.

Kuro grabbed his cock now, causing the boy to arch his back, his hips thrusting into the alpha's mouth. Kuro pumped hastily as he pushed to make the omega boy come. Keith thrust his hips to the pace the alpha had created and it wasnt long until he was coming all over Kuro's face and hand.

The alpha emerged, licking at the blood that pooled in the creases of his thighs. He looked up at Keith now, and it was the image of a wild animal. Blood and Keith's spent smeared across his face and dribbled down his chin. A sick part of Keith wanted to taste it too..'

\----------------

The boy was crying now. Why? He hadn't even touched him and as far as Shiro knew he wasn't even in the boy's personal space. Maybe he shouldn't even be in the same room as Keith, alone or otherwise.

He didn't know how this was ever suppose to workout. They couldn't go forever tiptoeing around the castle trying to avoid each other. Shiro was beyond frustrated. This was worse than anything his paladins have ever put him through.

K made him nervous. Made him feel like he was walking on eggshells and it had only been less than two days. Shiro wanted to know what had made their weak relationship crumble so quickly. 

The boy was not like this when he brought him onto the ship. They had rode the shuttle pod all the way to the castle, walked and talked, briefly, but were able to be in the same room without a problem. But, ever since he had...what had he done? 

Tried to kiss a stranger that looked like Keith. Someone he considered a younger brother. Why? That reckless incident made him more confused than why K couldn't be within ten feet of him. 

Did he harbor feeling for his Keith? Was that why he felt so strangely pulled to this boy? Did he bury those feeling deep down because he thought it was wrong to have feelings for someone much younger than him, someone who relies on him like family, someone who had feelings for a particular self-proclaimed ladies man?

Shiro had never thought of Keith that way until K. Until the boy appeared like a ghost in front of him that day in the space mall. Until that same boy plagued his dreams for a week. Not until he had tried to kiss that boy when he was weak and vulnerable. 

What kind of man was he, Takashi Shirogane?

K stepped closer to him now to Shiro's surprise. But it shouldn't have been a surprise, it was the same dance they've done before. The boy moves closer to him, he moves closer to the boy, and boy runs. Except this time Shiro wasn't going to let him run he was going to walk away first. 

Shiro watched carefully as the robed boy reached his hand out and began to trace the scars across his chest. It made The muscles beneath ripple as a shudder raked over Shiro's body. 

K looked not at him but all his scars and it made Shiro feel uncomfortable. Not in the way that made him feel ashamed, but instead it was intimate, and left him feeling vulnerable. That same feeling arose in his chest again, the same feeling that urged him to grab the boy in front of him and kiss him.

Shiro grabbed Keith's small wrist firmly and shoved him, gently, a half a foot away from him. That seemed to have woken the boy up because he was staring at Shiro now, a look of awkwardness plastered clearly on his face.

"You shouldn't be touching people you barely know." 

Shiro's voice was a lot softer than he intended, but he was satisfied that he got the message across to the other Keith and walked out of the showers, never looking back to see if he was being watched as he left.

 

He was in the training room now, shirt discarded after becoming too soaked with sweat. He must have needed to exercise the feelings out of him because all he could see was the beautiful, crying boy when he shut his eyes. 

Sometimes that boy would turn into his best friend, Keith, and he'd slam into the training bot a little harder. A mix of confusion and uncertainty fueling his attacks. He stopped after smashing through the last bot and ended the session before it could begin the next round when he realized he wasn't alone.

He half expected it to be Keith joining him, but it wasn't, well sort of. He still wasn't sure what K was to them all; Keith or his own person all together? Sometimes he behaved like Keith and sometimes he was a totally unfamiliar person to Shiro. 

K approached him, face not smeared with tears, but steady and confident in his gaze. It was hot underneath such a powerful stare and Shiro felt himself sweating more. His pulse began to race, and a familiar tug began to pull him until he was subconsciously moving into the boy's space.

The other red paladins hand came up to trace his scars, but this time he did not back away. He let the boy feel all that he had to offer. Delicate fingers raised his skin and left a tingling trail wherever they touched, Shiro felt himself coming undone in the boy's touch. 

He wanted more.

He reached out to grab K, but he was gone. It was black and again Shiro stared up at his hand reaching high towards the ceiling of his room. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonds: A quick explanation since it might be awhile before It's talked about within the story. 
> 
> -bonds are suppose to make the omega mate undesirable to all other alphas and most betas.
> 
> -puncturing the scent gland and the alpha's saliva coming in contact with it taints the scent that will be produced thereafter. Consequently, alpha's biology rewires them into only being attracted to their omegas scent, therefore, not being thrown into rut or attracted by other omega scents. But, can still be sexually attracted to other dynamics.
> 
> -It doesn't make them magically love and protect each other because happy feelings. But, instead makes them territorial and protective of keeping their mate safe solely for securing their bloodline since chances of being able to bond with another mate for either alpha or omega is very, vey rare. And that is important because omega and alpha produce the strongest offspring.


	5. The Blue Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro trying to figure out his feelings in the worst kind of way. (K)eith is also a lil shit..sort of? Also the other Keith too....And both the Lances. Everyone’s just really a mess. It’s like a kdrama in space.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’re going to learn about betas in my au today, yay! :)
> 
> Also I’m lame and like to listen to music while I write and the lance and Keith flashback was totally written while listening to House of Cards by bts (it’s their song, everyone/ship gets a song). Also, that “oh~“ jimin does at 2:44 comment if you agree. xD

Blue was the color of so many things, but for Keith Blue was primarily the color of hope. 

He remembers the first time he had saw those blue eyes when he looks at the boy sitting directly across from him in his best friend Hunk’s seat. They were so similar to their alternate selves that Keith found himself having to work hard to remember to call these paladins by their proper names. 

Luckily for some of the paladins, like himself and Lance, only their last names were different, and it made it easier for him to remember names, but not easier for K to to call out the boy’s name in front of him. Not when he had a face so similar to the other blue paladin. Sometimes the name would catch in his throat and he’d just get the blue paladin’s attention another way.

Keith’s gut felt uneasy sometimes when he’d allow himself to stare at the Cuban boy for far longer than what was deemed acceptable. Opposing feelings and intrusive thoughts made him lose interest in his food, so he pushed it side to side with his fork and allowed himself more time just being in the presence of the paladin in front of him to tackle these thoughts instead of leaving the table.

He tried not to focus on the blue peeking from behind thick lashes as he did, but he was weak.

He had always been weak and a little naive. People were suppose to grow up and become more perceptive, but Keith had always let the wrong one in until he wasn’t letting anyone in anymore.

Keith remembered how he had almost opened himself to their black paladin, Shirogane, but luckily he had come to his senses before it was too late to turn back. What had he been thinking? It was almost a joke that he would tie himself again to someone who was even remotely related to the alpha who had stolen his life. Maybe the time spent with Kuro had corrupted him too?

But Keith remembers those gentle eyes and gentle hands..

He shakes the memory away and looks up at the blue that had occupied his mind earlier. He wonders if these same blue eyes tricked and deceived and manipulated to get what they wanted too.

Keith knows he should hate the boy that Lance reminded him so much of but he couldn’t. Lance had made him feel close to words he’d dare not utter out loud except for one word, hope.

Hope had been the lanky boy with the blue eyes sneaking out of the garrison, curiosity fueling his desire to be the first student to gaze upon the rumored alien tech nearby the garrison. 

Hope had been the blue lion that responded so fluidly to the boy with matching blue eyes. It was as if they were made for each other, or rather, made of each other like the rain was the river was the ocean and somewhere along that cycle they found each other again.

Keith had been burning at the edges with jealousy until he met Red. He had wanted what Lance and Blue had, and he did, but now it was gone because of his selfishness and her sacrifice.

Hope had always been deep blue eyes consuming him like a tiny fishing boat caught in a storm. 

“So K what do you want to do today since stuffy old Shiro and his edgy sidekick Keith arent here to make us train or something generic and responsible like that?”

Lances voice had pulled him up to the surface and he was grasping at words to say like a man gasping for air. He wished he’d had drowned instead.

”I don’t know..training is all I really know too. Sorry..”

It was a lie. He had known other things to like hiding when he did not want to be found. He even went as far as learning to mask his omega scent so he could not be sniffed out; his skills in stealth had become a valuable asset to the team. If he didn’t want to be found that day when Shiro came back for him he wouldn’t have been. 

K looks at the boy getting up from the table. The look of boredom obvious on his face, and it made him feel guilty that he had to babysit him while his fellow paladins were off protecting the galaxy and securing alliances with other planets. He knew that the blue paladin would rather be enjoying the festivities and being immersed into new and foreign alien culture than be stuck in an empty castle with him.

But as Lance liked to brag, the team felt that having Lance stay behind with him would make Keith feel less like a prisoner rather than if Coran had stayed behind or the unpopular alternative: lock him up.

Lance and Hunk had even tried to fight for K to be able to tag along, but their leaders, Shiro and Allura, had voted against it saying it was still too soon – no surprise to Keith they were a team in this reality as well. _They’re probably fucking too._ Keith thought bitterly, but it was none of his business. He had to remind himself that.

He was still considered a flight risk to them although it had been weeks since joining Voltron and it was making him irritable the way they fussed over him – well Allura, Shiro had been distant since that night in the shower room when Shiro had basically told him to back off.

“C’mon I’m going to take you to this really cool part of the ship no one knows about except for Hunk..and well Allura and Coran too most likely and maybe Pidge if she mapped out the entire ship, which I don’t doubt she has already.”

The blue paladin circled the long table, pulled out Keith’s chair and held his hand out for him to grab. He looked at the hand for just a second then up to familiar blue eyes, and stood, lacing their fingers together. It had taken Keith only a second to realize what he had done.

Lance had held his hand out for him to grab...not hold so intimately. He felt like an idiot and mentally facepalmed. Keith tried to correct himself, but lance was holding on firmly with his own fingers.

”This is fine.” 

The blue paladin was blushing there was no mistaking that no matter how hard he tried to hide it by adverting his gaze. K responded similarly but didn’t say anything, and let himself be led by the Cuban boy with blue eyes.

There was something familiar in this moment that made K feel nostalgic. It hadn’t been long since arriving to this reality but the distance made it feel like decades passed, and Keith hadn’t realized his ache for something familiar in a place that was the same yet different from where he had come from.

He let the comfort of familiarity wisk him to a not-so-unpleasant memory – a rarity when thinking of home.

 

His body screamed against him; it wanted him to obey. His alpha was calling out to him, but he wasn’t ready to face Kuro. The days that Kuro was absent had felt like a daydream that was over too soon. Keith found himself sneaking down the hallway, trying to avoid his alpha.

Maybe if he avoided Kuro long enough he’d give up trying to find his omega and seek out the princess instead. Later, when they’d meet up for dinner Keith could give him some bullshit story as to why he had not come to him sooner instead.

He could hear Kuro mention his name and an inaudible voice say something about him going in some direction Keith could not make out. He tried to quicken his pace without giving away his location, but his nervousness was making him sloppy. The sound of heavy footsteps were getting closer, he was going to be found. Kuro was closer now he could hear the man’s voice clearly as he spoke aloud.

”I swear this is where she said he was headed. Damn omegas never where they’re suppose to be.”

Kuro was about to turn the corner to where he was, and Keith wasn’t going to have anywhere to retreat to. He would have to face Kuro, listen to him lecture about not greeting him at the hangar, listen as he manhandled him back to their room as he always did. 

Keith heard a quiet  _swish_ from a tiny door in the side of the wall he didnt realize was there and an arm reached out and grabbed him right as he saw Kuro’s shadow round the corner. His body connected with another hard body as arms wrapped around him, squeezing him into the the tiny utility closet so the door could close behind him.

Keith inhaled sharply inside the dimly lit space – it was Lance.

He was incredibly close to the blue paladin now it made him anxious that the males scent would rub off on him and how Kuro would react even if nothing had happened. But Lance was looking at him now with hooded eyes, lips pouting handsomely, and the arm wrapped around his waist squeezed a little tighter.

“Shhh..”

Keith obeyed as he listened for Kuro’s footsteps to disappear in the distance. Lance’s fingers spread wide and slipped underneath the thin material of his shirt, feeling all the skin they could reach. His breaths felt heavy, and all he could do was stare at those beautiful blue eyes as the shock of their situation set in, his own eyes becoming as large and round as saucers.

”I’m sorry it’s just that...”

Keith knew that Lance was a playboy. He was getting laid every time they landed on an alien planet: male, female, or otherwise. It didn’t matter to him. So Keith was half expecting some kind of bullshit one liner to get in his pants. Accept that now...

”...you’re so beautiful you know that right? It’s intimidating.”

Accept now the boy’s words felt so genuine the way they came out in soft labored breaths. His eyes held him firmly in their gaze, never faltering, confident.

”I belong to Kuro it’s not a secret, Lance.”

”He doesn’t deserve you, Keith.”

”And you do?”

”No,” the word was said quietly, “but I never pretended otherwise. No one deserves you.”

Lance’s free hand came up to trace the soft edges of Keith’s face. He took a strand of Keith’s hair and rubbed it between his fingers before placing it behind his ear neatly. Keith leaned into the gentle touch, and Lance cupped his cheek as his eyes roamed around Keith’s face.

Keith adverted his gaze shyly, he wasn’t used to being looked at so tenderly even by Lance, who had barely looked at him until recently with the absence of Kuro the last few days. Keith knew it was Kuro who kept the paladins at a distance, especially Lance. He was Kuro’s main competition and not only when it came to mates but in battle as well. They were always trying to out do each other.

”This is dangerous I’m not worth it.”

”You are to me.”

Keith wanted terribly to believe in those words. He wanted to know what it was like to be loved so tenderly even if it wasn’t love Lance was offering. He wanted to be touched and be held and kissed like he was breakable. 

Lance’s face was moving closer to his now and Keith was half expecting to be scented.

”Please Lance, Kuro will no...if you scent me he’ll know what we’ve done.”

”But we havnt done anything yet,” Keith looked at Lance after hearing the hint of a smile, “besides I can’t scent anyone – I’m a beta.”

”You’re a beta? But...I was almost certain..”

”That I was an alpha? Nah, I just behave like one to piss off the alpha’s. It offends them for some reason.” 

Keith chuckled at that and Lance looked at him as if asking him what was so funny.

”What doesn’t offend them?” 

Keith replies and Lance lets out a curt laugh.

”You’re really more than just sad eyes aren’t you little red?”

Lance was moving closer to his face again, lips lining up with lips only breaths apart. Keith shook with anticipation and almost didn’t reply.

”Little red huh? Then are you the big bad wolf that’s going to devour me.”

Keith had never flirt before and every fiber of his being was hoping he didn’t sound like it.

”If you’ll let me.”

”I didn’t think wolves needed permission.”

Half of Keith was giving the blue paladin consent and the other half of him was thinking of Kuro when he said those words out loud. He thought of his father, and the teen alpha’s back at the garrison, and the faculty staff that told him it was only a routine exam.

Lance had been the first person to ask him for permission, and so Keith gave it to him without thought of consequence of the future. He raised up on his tiptoes and closed the distance between them. 

He was being kissed.

Lance’s lips were warm, chapped, and felt nice gliding across his own. When Keith would try to pull back to break the kiss, the blue boy would press more urgently into his space. It made Keith lightheaded, he forgot when to breath, and he knew that his rhythm was off, but Lance didn’t complain.

Instead, the boy’s hands became more adventurous as fingertips ghosted inside his pants just enough to graze the smooth flesh above his ass. Keith made a noise and pressed into those fingertips, urging the blue paladin further inside until he was cupping his whole cheek.

Lance squeezed and kneaded as his tongue found itself passed Keith’s lips. It was a strange feeling that turned from slight disgust to lewd and hot pleasure. Their mixed saliva dripping from the corners of Keith’s mouth became apparent to the shorter boy when Lance pulled away, and he tried to wipe it away. 

The blue paladin stopped him and instead used the pads of his fingers to smear it across the bottom of his lip and chin before slipping those fingers inside Keith's mouth. Keith let out a shiver as he sucked eagerly on the digits never breaking eye contact.

”You’re so good with your mouth, Keith.”

The praise made his knees so weak that he wanted to fall to them and show Lance just how good he was with his mouth, but he was never a leader, so he continued to follow Lance’s lead.

Lance continued to fuck his mouth with his fingers as he slipped his hand out of his pants and worked at both their zippers. The blue paladin tugged at both his pants and underwear until his half hard cock sprung from its confines then did the same to his own.

Keith had always been obedient and didn’t take his gaze off Lance no matter how curious he was to see the other’s cock. Lance’s fingers were good and wet now from Keith’s work and he slid them out and wrapped them around Keith’s cock.

”Here..”

Lance grabbed Keith’s hand and place it around his dick. It was average in girth but Keith could see when he finally peaked down at their hands that where he lacked in width he made up in length and he found himself finding no scenario in which he could fit all of Lance inside him.

Keith knew what Lance wanted and began pumping and teasing the head of the blue paladin’s cock, precum flowed in copious amounts just as an alpha, and it only took a couple jerks to get him slick enough to glide comfortably in his palm.

The hand that had been cupping his ass came up to his mouth and Lance slipped the two middle fingers into his mouth, pumping them in and out at the same rhythm he was touching Keith. The red paladin whined the further Lance shoved his long slender fingers in his mouth – he wished badly that it was his dick.

He wanted to make Lance come hard as he deep-throated him, swallow down every last drop and thank Lance for every bit of it. But he focused on teasing lance with his fingers the best he could in their tight space.

”You’re so good for me, Keith..”

The red paladin cried out louder this time. Every praise shot pleasure straight to his dick.

”Shhh”

Lance pulled his slicked fingers out once again, reached behind Keith, and went straight to teasing his asshole. It puckered at the unexpected intrusion and Keith did his best to relax so Lance’s fingers could press in more easily.

The harder Lance pushed inside him the closer their bodies pressed together, and Keith was looking up at him now, wrecked and shameless. Lance melt forward and captured the red paladin’s lips with his, shoving his tongue inside – dominating.

Keith’s pumping became sporadic from overstimulation. It was hard for his mind to concentrate as Lance’s tongue and fingers fucked deeper inside of him. At this point he was going to come before Lance.

”Let me come, please.”

Keith begged as he ripped away from the boy’s mouth, his lower belly and dick ached for release, but he needed to hear it, he needed Lance’s permission.

”Come, baby.”

Keith wasted no time as he shot his load all over Lance’s handsome fingers, jerking as his orgasm burned through his whole body. Lance wasn’t far behind him, coming all over Keith’s hands, some of it having shot up and landing in the thick of Keith’s pubes.

The boys stood there, breathing in each others space until they both mutually pulled back. Keith began to clean himself up, ashamed of the mess, and Lance followed in his lead. There was silence between them as they worked to put themselves back together.

”Lance, do you love me?”

The blue paladin stopped mid cleaning his own dick off.

”W-what I mean is do you like me? Kuro said...”

He didn’t want to sound lame or inexperienced, but it was already too late.

”Kuro has never kissed me, no one has really, he said it’s because he doesn’t love me. But, you’ve kissed me so that means you must feel something right?”

Lance looked like a parent who’s child just came to them and asked where babies come from. 

“Look little red, I like you but it’s not what you think – what I mean is at least not yet. I think you’re hot and badass in battle and way out of Kuro’s league but the feelings just aren’t there yet. I don’t know about Kuro but lots of people kiss others they don’t love. But..”

Lance grabbed Keith’s face with both his hands and leaned forward.

”Lets just see where this takes us, yeah?”

Keith let himself be kissed although he was feeling like he needed to run and hide and ride out this embarrassment. He felt so stupid and naive of course Lance just saw him as a fling. He didn’t know what he was expecting when he was so obviously bonded to Kuro.

”Cmon Keith, I like you ok. Don’t look so down after we just had that hot as fuck make out session.”

Lance smiled at Keith and he did his best to smile back.

”Kuro kisses her.”

Keith blurted out somehow knowing Lance would he meant the princess.

”Yeah I know.”

Lance’s response sounded like one heavy sights he rested his forehead on Keith’s.

”He loves her.”

”It’s more complicated than that Keith. You see, Kuro and the princess are alpha’s that seem to only fall for other alpha’s. There’s no doubt that Kuro is turned on by your body; it’s your brain, your behavior, the way you carry yourself that he has a problem with. It’s very omega and some alpha’s just aren’t romantically attracted to omega personalities.”

”Like for example, I can fuck a girl even if I think she’s an airhead. Personally I like intellectual partners, surprising I know. But, if her body is hot I can still get it up. Kuro and the princess are the same, but like I said they’re just not attracted to omega personalities. And, just between you and me, I’ve seen her checking you out when she thinks no one is looking.”

”She’s obviously extremely jealous that Kuro chose to bond with you and that she can’t give him what he wants, you know strong healthy babies, but she totally wants to fuck you too. It’s the alpha in her, and I know your heats must drive her insane. I know about the stereotype you omega boys have you little minx too bad it doesn’t affect me too.”

Keith wiggled his brows and smiled at him again. That last part was meant to make Keith feel better, but he just felt disgusted.

”I should really go...thanks for all this Lance.”

Lance looked at him with a deep, puzzled expression on his face, like he couldn’t figure out if Keith really meant what he said or if he had said something wrong somewhere in their conversation.

”Do you love him, Keith?”

”No.”

He didn’t even have to think about it. He and Kuro only existed together through a bond not even feelings could break – only death. Satisfied with his answer, Lance let him walk out of the closet. He had said something to Keith, but he hadn’t heard him, too lost in all his thoughts to hear the world outside.

 

K comes to a complete stop and Lance is forced to as well as he’s still gripping the other red paladin’s hand tightly like K is going to run away at any moment. Lance turns around to look at him he can feel it, but he doesn’t look at the blue paladin.

”Why are you doing this?”  

Lance puts a comforting hand on his shoulder and it startles k, making him look up at the lively Cuban boy. Lance is smiling at him but it’s dripping with sympathy and it makes K feel uneasy.

“Hey man, you go around looking at everyone with those sad eyes I thought it would make you feel better. Shiro thinks we were close in your reality, but I won’t pry you’ll tell us everything when you’re ready. Besides, it’s not like I hate it. This.”

_You're really more than just sad eyes..._

Lance holds up their interlaced hands with a wide, teethy smile that K was sure was meant to reassure him, but it only confirmed his suspicions. Lance was crushing hard, but it wasn’t on him. He couldn’t even be mad it would be ridiculous – this was Keith Kogane’s reality not his. K pulled his hand free from the boy.

“Lance, you need to tell him before you wait too long. Don’t wait and make things complicated for the two of you later..you both deserve for this to work out.”

”Keith..” 

“You don’t have to worry about my feelings. It’ll just complicate things more..just worry about your Keith. I know he likes you too, trust me. And please, just call me K. I don’t want to be that boy anymore.”

“Yeah..no problem.”

Lance was still looking at him a little shocked like he couldn’t believe that he had been found out, like he was having a hard time processing K’s feelings as well. 

“So was it that obvious?”

Lance ducked his head in embarrassment and scratched at the nape of his neck. Keith watched the boy sympathetically as Lance shifted from side to side.

“What? That you have a massive crush on the other me or that because of that crush you’re being nice to me and confused those feelings for feelings you actually have for Kogane?”

”Both? And hey! That’s not the only reason I was nice to you. You’re a really cool dude when you let people in..you should try it with the others. Allura and Coran are like our really weird foreign aunt and uncle they don’t really get you but they mean well, and Hunk is like our mom he makes sure everyone eats together and makes the best food.”

”Shiro..well he’s like that protective older brother that always looks out for you, although I like to joke and say he’s our space dad. He does get kind of bossy but it’s for our own good. Also can’t forget Pidge, she’s our little gremlin sister, but really she’s the best.”

Lance paused for a moment as if he was seriously contemplating his next words. 

”And Keith, he could be your brother, for real, you guys have lost everyone...you should like adopt each other or something..”

Family

The word didn’t hold the same meaning as the blue paladin’s. Family had been loneliness and loss and hurt. The very word settled heavy in the pit of his stomach, but he wanted to try. Sincerely, he wanted to let go of the broken boy he was in his reality and let himself have things he’s always been too afraid to have.

He knew it was going to take time, but healing was a process. 

“I want to try. I want to try for myself and for Voltron. Thank you, Lance...for all of this.”

Lance smiled warmly and pulled him into the warmest hug. K squeezed him in return, and did his best to let go of the blue boy, not physically, but in his heart. He knew that there would be days that he’d want to be selfish, days he’d be jealous of Keith, but wanting to let Lance go was a start at least.

“So about that cool part of the ship?” 

Lance beamed up at Keith and grabbed his hand, pulling him into a run as they raced down the hallway.

———————————

They were home now.

The lions had docked in the hangar and everyone was dragging themselves and the peace offerings back to the communal rooms. Shiro had asked Keith when they left the planet to stay behind with him when they got back to the castle.

He didn’t give an explanation and Keith didn’t ask for one either. He always trusted in Shiro, did what Shiro asked almost always without question even before he was their leader.

Shiro had tried so hard the week they were gone on the planet to verbally express the thoughts that were going through his head, but how could he have when he wasn’t sure himself? 

He tried the first night they landed, but he blamed K, saying he was confusing him with his presence still fresh in his mind. Then he tried again a few days later, but flaked out and asked Keith to join him in one of them many markets the city had instead.

Then he tried the night before they left when Keith came to his room asking if he could sleep beside him after having one of his dreams, more like nightmares, but staring at the boy with only the lights of the outside city illuminating his face..Shiro chickened out.

He was so afraid of ruining what they had with such a trivial issue. There was no time for feelings or relationships or love right now, they were in the middle of a galactic space battle!

Wondering whether or not his feelings for K were for Keith and wondering then if those said feelings were genuine was the last thing Shirogane Takashi, The black lion of Voltron needed to worry about. Personal affairs needed to be put on the back burner just as they’ve always had been. Being in space shouldn’t change that.

If anything it should make him more disciplined.

Shiro stole glances at Keith as the red paladin helped with the last of the stuff and walked back towards Shiro’s lion. Even as the boy stood there waiting for Shiro to say something, the black paladin stayed quiet.

Instead he ran every scenario through his head. Every dialogue and possible reply and outcome repeated over and over as he rehearsed the words he tried to say out loud. But, when he’d begin to speak, those words eluded him, and he’d have to start over, rehearsing the lines again.

Finally he gave up, words were going to be of no use.

”Hey, Shiro..is everything ok? You’re unusually quiet.”

Shiro stayed silent as he approached his fellow paladin, all his concentration was in keeping himself from backing out. He needed this. He needed to know. Keith backed up into the lions massive leg, his brows screwing together, obviously trying to read the situation.

But Shiro had always been good at putting on a poker face; concealing his emotions had become second nature.

Seeing Keith backed into the lion, he raised his hands up and placed them on either side of the boy’s shoulders, boxing him in so he couldn’t escape. Shiro inched closer even as Keith flinched.

”Shiro what’s going on with you?”

The black paladin didn’t reply, instead he crashed his lips into his friend’s own. They felt full despite how small they appeared, nice, warm. He could kiss them again if given the opportunity. 

Except when he closed his eyes...

Keith shoved him off.

”Shiro, what the hell! You know I like Lance!”

Shiro opened his eyes, but didn’t meet his friends face.

”I know I just needed to know. I need this..”

Shiro trailed off as he grabbed both sides of Keith’s face and kissed him deeply this time. Keith stopped struggling even as Shiro slipped his tongue inside, his hands fell to his sides in defeat.

The black paladin pulled back cautiously, his eyes locked with the former red paladin’s own, confused and heated as they were. Those eyes shifted, and Shiro heard them too — lively footsteps coming to a complete stop.

”Lance...”

Keith breathed out.

“We were just coming to see if you guys still needed help, but I see you dudes are busy with other things, so we’ll just go.”

Shiro felt the boy in his hold tense up when Lance interlaced his fingers with K, who was looking at him now with eyes as large as the moon. For a boy that wanted nothing to do with him, he sure knew how to make Shiro feel guilty with those eyes, like he was caught cheating.

The black paladin did his best to convey to K when he returned his gaze that it wasn’t what it looked like, he hoped maybe he would understand that and try to explain to Lance, so that when Shiro finally could there wouldn’t be any misunderstandings between them. He mostly hoped the blue paladin would keep it to himself till then.

Lance yanked the other boy away with him — disappearing as fast as they had appeared. K looked back at the two of them as they’d left, eyes more neutral now, but his lips downturned as if he were upset.

Upset for who, he wasn’t sure, but he was sure it was most likely K was upset with him, Shiro seemed to be good at upsetting Keiths.

Shiro looked at his Keith now and felt like he had really messed up. He knew this plan was reckless, but he thought if he isolated it so it only involved him and Keith then it would be easier to remedy rather than involving the whole team and K. 

“Keith, I’m sorry I’ll explain everything to Lance. I’ll tell him it was just me.”

”It doesn’t matter you saw them. Their hands. Friends don’t hold hands like that!”

Keith stormed out of Shiro’s space and threw his utility belt across the hangar, knife and all. It skipped across the wide space and slid to a hault. Keith had always taken special care of his mother’s blade, to watch him toss it in anger like that..it made Shiro uneasy like all the times he had picked Keith up when he’d fall.

This time it was different — this time it was his fault. His foolishness had caused his dearest friend pain. It wasn’t just the kiss that was his foolishness. He had suspicions Lance liked Keith and he knew he should have told him then, but he kept it to himself, didn’t encourage Keith to confess, didn’t do any of the things a real friend should have. 

He was hesitant, and he was selfish. He thought it was to protect Keith from potential rejection, but he realized it was something else. Shiro was afraid of being alone more than Keith. No matter how positive he behaved, how many people surrounded him, adored him, Shiro always felt a little bit of loneliness creeping up on him when the world was quiet. 

Keith had came into his life alone, needed him, his friendship, his guidance, and if he wasn’t needed by the boy anymore...the thought made him feel lonelier. 

He needed to be the center of someone’s universe and whether he was or not to Keith, that wasn’t fair for the boy. It wasn’t his responsibility to make Shiro feel whole, that was for someone who loved him mutually.

Love, romance...he didn’t think about those things often, but when he had closed his eyes as he kissed his best friend he saw someone he could see himself pursuing. 

“I know, Keith. I’ll fix this. Trust me when I say I want this fixed as much as you do.”

“So, are you going to explain to me what you just did? Why you just kissed me? Twice! Even though I didn’t want too!”

Keith turned around now redirecting his frustration at Shiro, who didn’t know where to begin explaining himself. He put his hands up to calm the boy down, but it had no affect.

”Keith..”

”I wanted it to be Lance, Shiro! My first kiss..”

Shiro blinked, once, twice, he wasn’t sure he’d heard right. He should have known that Keith may not have ever kissed another person since he had such a hard time socializing and opening up to people instead of assuming otherwise, still that did not give him the right to do what he did.

But in Shiro’s defense, he was a young, healthy, and rebellious kid so he thought somewhere between starting fights and getting kicked out of the garrison he would have kissed someone by now even if it was just out of curiosity. Again, still he had no right to force himself on Keith, he was still terribly and unforgivingly wrong on that part.

“I’m sorry.”

”Sorry doesn’t take it back, Shiro.”

Instead of decking him in the face, which was what Shiro hoped Keith would do, he shoved Shiro’s shoulder with his own as he walked passed him. Keith’s head hanged lower and an obvious sullenness could be seen in his usual purposeful stride.

Shiro had made the biggest mistake in his life since Kerberos.

Nothing was ever going to fix this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight spoiler for next chapter!!  
> Just in case I forget to add this scene in the next chapter (it’s how lance got in the closet so stop reading if you’d rather wait then come back if I don’t add this). Keith finds out from lance thst the reason he was in the closet was because he had been walking towards Keith when he saw him looking distressed and lance figured he was trying to hide/get away from Kuro so lance, mister still yo omega, slipped into the closet and y’all know the rest.(end)
> 
> So as we learned from lance, betas don’t have scents and can’t scent mark! 
> 
> They’re lacking in typical dynamic characteristics makes them neutral in all aspects. 
> 
> Some partners like the idea of a beta partner if they’re wanting a non traditional relationship, and others that can be a deal breaker if they’re wanting a mate that can scent them.
> 
> Betas can be scented, however, by omegas or alpha’s making them more desirable by omegas who are more independent or assertive (who behave more like alphas). 
> 
> Also, ruts and heats don’t apply to betas and are not affected by omega’s heats.They’re almost like normal humans.


	6. Jealous Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “O jealousy! thou magnifier of trifles.”  
> – Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hooooo boy guys I’m so sorry! I literally went through some shit and moved and settled into a new place and did my best to get my shit together and was too tired to do things I enjoy but now I’m back! I hope y’all are still around. If you are, thank you so much!
> 
> Also going to put this here, so when you guys get to it you’ll know what it means and it won’t ruin the flow of the reading. You’ll see this phrase:
> 
> しょうがない - “sho ga nai” it’s a phrase Japanese use during a crisis, or failing something, or just something bad or regrettable that has happened to them. It simply means “it cannot be helped” and I love it because instead of reacting and hurting yourself for something that cant be reversed, you accept it and let it go. Idk I love it and like a weeb I practice it myself. :3

Keith had left not even a full day after the incident in the hangar to join the blades on a mission, leaving questions left unanswered and the castle in an uncomfortable state of tension.

K had tiptoed around the blue and black paladins not sure of where it was his place to be. He wasn’t exactly close enough to either one of them to be within their personal space while both were sulking around the castle, so he observed them from a distance. 

When Shiro would walk through the common room, K would remain silent and not acknowledge him no matter how much he wanted to meet the eyes that were peeking at him as the leader passed by.

He watched as Lance would spin on his heels before Shiro could notice he was entering the same room as him. He watched also as those eyes looked at the black paladin when the other was busy in conversation with his fellow paladins or the Alteans before retreating out of sight. 

K recognized that look— he had seen it many times before on a face similar to his blue friend. 

For the first time in a millennia K felt compassion for another living being. He empathized for his friend, who harbored feelings he knew would be fruitless if shared out loud. K’s own chest tightened when he thought of his new friend’s predicament– the familiar feeling making a home around his heart.

He hadn’t expected to be so close to this Lance, but somethings just didn’t change no matter the distance, or in this case, reality. He couldn’t say it was his heart, but his brain that held all his memories of the boy that saved him on numerous occasions, yearned for familiarity, to cling to something comforting and his Lance had been the closest thing to the tenderness he craved.

This Lance was a stark reminder of that comfort, but he was also different too. Unique. His own person. And that person hurt more easily, faked the bravado and confidence that the other Lance possessed and was the one who needed saving. He was fragile and K didn’t like to see him in pieces as he had learned quickly that day when Lance’s shaking hand gripped his and tugged him away from the embracing paladins.

K dragged his hands through his hair, nails digging into his scalp and down the length of his silky tresses. He felt the length they had gained since being with these paladins for a month and wondered as he twirled the ends of his hair between his two fingers if he should cut it, but that thought left his mind quickly with the presence of another being entering the room.

He had hoped it was one of the other paladins, preferably Hunk, someone he knew Lance would have filled in on the recent drama, but it was Shiro. His boots planted firmly in front of K, and he knew the black paladin was expecting to be acknowledged. 

“K, could we talk for a moment?”

The sound of his name being called from the paladin’s voice was enough for his whole body to be on alert. Suddenly he felt overwhelmed, aware of his movement, his breathing. K worried about the expression he was giving, the lack of respect he was showing as he sat there blatantly ignoring the alpha in front of him. 

_But Shiro isn’t an alpha.._

His brain quickly supplied to his heart and he felt it slowly returning to its normal cadence. With each breath his body slowly released the tension built up in his posture, and he looked up to the paladin in front of him. 

“I know..,” Shiro’s eyes flickered to and away from K several times as if he was struggling himself being in K’s presence, ”I know you don’t exactly enjoy being around me but–“

”It’s fine. I promised Lance I’d do my best to give his family a chance..he also seems to think highly of you.”  _And I also may have been treating you unfairly._ K would have said if his pride had gotten in the way.

K rushed the last bit out reverting his gaze but not before seeing a puff of relief release itself out of Shiro’s body. 

“He said that?”

”In a sort of way yes.”

“Well this is about him, the reason I came to speak to you.”

Shiro’s shoulders dropped and he placed himself next to K on the Altean sofa. K felt himself in the beginnings of panicking again but he did his best to remind himself that this wasn’t Kuro but Shiro, a man his friend, Lance McClain, trusted.

“Lance has been absent..at least around me. I have a feeling he’s avoiding me maybe..maybe he feels awkward seeing me and Keith you know..”

”Kissing.”

”Y-yea. I tried asking Hunk but he refused to say anything. I don’t know it’s just not like Lance to be so quiet about something, so I was wondering since you guys seem to be close if maybe he said something to you?”

“Nothing.”

K answered in his usual meek, monotoned voice. He couldn’t tell Shiro that it was because Lance caught him locking lips with the boy he’d madly fallen for.

“Nothing at all?”

”Mm.” 

It wasn’t his place to reveal such secrets and K was only the slightest annoyed that Shiro hadn’t realised Lance’s feelings yet. They were so obvious to read he doubt anyone else was having as hard a time as Shiro.

“It just doesn’t feel like a coincidence that we’re never in the same room together. I feel like I’ve really messed things up with Keith and Lance. Keith I understand, but I don’t know what I’ve done to Lance, so I don’t know how to fix it.”

”You messed things up with Keith? But, you guys looked..”

K guestered his hands around wildly in the air before smooshing his palms together. Shiro got what he was implying and let out a snicker that sounded more sad than amused.

”Yeah. Big time. He likes Lance you know. I probably shouldn’t have said that, but he was really upset..seeing you guys holding hands like that. I think that’s why he left immediately with the blades. I’m not trying to guilt you out of your relationship with Lance–“

”There is no relationship you should let Keith no as soon as you get in contact with him,” Shiro looked up at K then with a surprised, dopey look on his face, “I don’t want there to be anymore misunderstandings.”

K could never express enough how relieved he was to hear Shiro say those words. Although he wasn’t prepared to give Lance up so soon, he was truly happy for his lovesick friend. Now it was just a matter of how to get the two to confess without betraying either one of the paladin’s trust by revealing their secrets.

“Lance wants me to be close to you guys, but I can’t do that when we can barely be in the same room as each other. I know it’s absurd, but I feel like my presence has disturbed your guys’ peace. I can’t continue to make things difficult for Lance..if it doesn’t work, me being here, I need you guys to let me go. I know how to stay hidden you wouldn’t have to worry about Zarkon or the empire finding out about my existence.”

K’s voice was quiet but he had hoped that Shiro could hear the urgency in it. He looked at the black paladin and he was staring straight ahead now with his eyes seeming to focus on a single object.

”It’s not Lance, but you..you’re feelings are one-sided aren’t they? I always had that feeling you know.”

K was sure Shiro felt him tense up beside him.

”When I brought you to the hangar..I saw the way you looked at him for the first time..Lance. It’s how I imagined someone would look at a lover they thought was dead.”

K felt his eyes widen like two globes. He never liked people knowing his true feelings because they made him feel vulnerable, weak as if someone could use them to hurt him..again. 

“It’s not what you think.”

It was more complicated than that, but he wasn’t ready to share with Shiro, or any of this Voltron, his deepest memories. 

“Then what is it? I have a feeling all of us reflect your paladins a lot more closely than any of us have guessed considering you look almost identical to Keith, granted you don’t behave like him.”

”Shiro..”

”I’ve seen the way you treat all of us with some kind of familiarity, the way you speak to everyone, and the way you act surprised or disappointed when we don’t behave the way you expect us to. You don’t say it, but I see it in your face.”

”It’s not–“

”It makes sense now. It makes so much sense why you can’t stand to be near me. I...I must have hurt you. I did this didn’t I?”

Shiro reached his hand out, swiping the hair away too quickly for K to react and touched the sensitive scar. K flinched away from the paladin as if his fingertips were fire, and jerked up from where he sat. 

This was all too much all too soon. These were waters he wasn’t ready to cross. He needed to find an exit, a way out of this conversation before Shiro said anymore. He could feel the tears of panic fill up his waterline and his vision became blurred.

Shiro stood in front of him now, his hands ready to reach out for K, but the boy maneuver ed out of his grip and put some distance between them. K shook his head, the tears finally released from their prison.

”Kuro.”

He choked out.

”Not you, Shiro.”

—————————————————————

Kuro stood face to face with him when Keith entered his private quarters that were apparently not so private when you had an overbearing alpha as a mate. Keith could barely step two feet into his room withought already being in the man’s personal space. 

“Where have you been? I thought you were aware I’d be arriving back, but you weren’t there to greet me in the hangar, and when I was looking for you I couldn’t find you in your usual stomping grounds.”

Kuro paused to take in a breath not allowing Keith any time to defend himself much less any kind of response. 

“Perhaps...” Kuro’s brows furrowed as one of them arched up. A fang peaked out from his lips that were caught somewhere between a snarl and a grin.

He closed what was left of the gap between them.

”Was my omega hiding from me?”

Kuro raised his massive hand up to possesively cup Keith’s face, and the omega boy stood there letting himself be owned without defiance.

”No, Kuro.” A simple answer was all he knew Kuro wanted. He knew the alpha didn’t like when he talked too much or much at all. 

“Of course not. Not on your own at least..someone is influencing you, and I’m sure I know who it’s is.”

Kuro’s grip tightened on his face, the tips of his nails piercing the soft surface layers of his skin before jerking the omega out of his way and exiting the cold room.

Keith knew that Kuro cared more about defeating the Galra Empire more than he cared about his ownership, or “bond” over Keith, so he wasn’t scared for the safety of either him or Lance, but Keith feared how hard the black paladin was going to make their lives become. 

 

More like annoying..

Kuro had clung to him like a cat for two days since returning from his mission, but only in the presence of the other paladins and especially Lance. It was the most attention he ever received from the man and quite frankly it was becoming exhausting. 

The alpha would touch him when it wasn’t necessary, little touches that boarded inappropriate and sent a clear message that this was the omega he was fucking – this was his omega.

Keith felt heavy hands on his body at all times. Sometimes a palm rested on the base of his spine, planting him in place. Sometimes it gripped the back of his neck, like a metal cuff and chain around his neck.

It suffocated him. 

Those hands would find itself around his waist, jerking him out of the direction he was heading, never allowing him to go where he desired.

He was trapped.

Cold hands would slip under his shirt making him shiver as they gripped the skin of his pelvis and kept him firmly close to his alpha.

He knew people were staring. He knew they were talking. He knew they were disgusted.

They were disgusted with Keith and his sickening omega traits that had reduced their dignified leader to an immature cub. Kuro’s attention made him uncomfortable to be around anyone...especially Lance who stared illicitly at the parts of Keith’s body Kuro groped.

It wasn’t until after dinner when Kuro left to join the princess for one of their “talks” that Keith was able to get away. The tired omega walked down the hall where all the paladin’s rooms were stationed, passing the yellow paladin’s, then the green paladin’s, but not quite the blue paladin’s. 

The door to Lance’s room opened with a quiet swoosh and an arm reached out quickly much like it did that day in the hallway. Only an ‘eep’ was able to escape Keith’s mouth before he was pulled into the room, spun around, and fine, chapped lips locked with his own. 

Two hands gripped his wrists as they yanked them up and over his head, a knee wedged itself between his legs as Lance’s hips pinned him to the cold metal door. 

Keith struggled to get out of the rapidly growing, heated kiss, but the blue paladin only pressed harder. His teeth bumped Keith’s bottom lip and he could now taste blood mixing in their joining saliva. 

The omega ripped his head to the side, not looking at the paladin as he spoke.

”Did you not get the message? We can’t do this, Lance! Kuro has made that clear to everyone, to you, that he won’t tolerate..this.”

Keith could hear Lance scoff and was sure there was a cocky grin on the beta’s face.

”All that he’s made clear is that he’s a man-child.” Lance’s voice was breathy, but Keith could hear the agitation as well.

Lance released his hands and cupped the omega’s face gently, turning Keith to look at him. He caressed the wound on Keith’s lip softy with the pad of his thumb. He could feel Lance staring at him, but he was too tired, too frustrated, to meet his gaze.

”Keith..”

His voice was quiet as he lifted Keith’s face up to look at him.

”Hey man, I’m sorry ok? Please look at me.”

Keith complied, but he made sure to keep the look of frustration clear on his face.

“It’s just...watching Kuro all day just really pushed me to my limits.”

”Lance, he’s my alpha. He’s technically doing nothing wrong. We’re at fault.”

”Why are you defending him again?”

”I’m not. It’s just facts. We’re wrong.”

Keith tried to remove Lance’s hands from his face so he could leave, but the blue paladin only gripped tighter.

”How can you say that?”

”Lance, let me go.”

”But you didn’t want this!”

Lance raised his voice as one of his hands left the omega’s cheek and pulled the hair back that was covering his bond mark. Keith squirmed to try to cover up the mark again.

It was uncomfortable for Keith to expose the mark – it felt somewhat private, intimate, shameful.

”Doesn’t it make you angry?”

“しょうがない” Lance’s brows screwed together at Keith’s words.

”What?”

”I said it can’t be helped, Lance, so why should I stay angry about it? I can’t change it.”

”You could if he died.” The blue paladin said so bluntly Keith felt a cold shiver draw up his spine.

“Lance!” Keith struggled again to get out of his grip, but the beta was just a bit stronger than him. 

“He can be replaced, we all can be. We don’t need him – you don’t need him.” 

Lance’s voice was deeper, darker than Keith had ever heard it. He moved in closer, lips descending slowly, hands gripping his face more firmly, forcing Keith to stay in place as he captured his lips once again. He struggled to pry the hands away, even resulted to scratching like a female omega to get the beta off, but he didn’t budge as he shoved his tongue deep inside.

He owned Keith’s mouth, dominated his tongue, and tasted every bit of space inside before pulling away just enough to suckle abusively on the still bleeding wound.

Keith wanted to stop, wanted to leave and retreat to his own room to wait for Kuro. He didn’t want to be here, didn’t want to make things worse, and most of all wanted to get away from the cold, blue paladin holding him.

”I care about you Keith, you know that right?”

Lance said when he finally broke away from the kiss thst left the omega’s lips looking red and swollen and obviously kissed. Keith winced as he thought about how he’d hide his wrecked image from Kuro.

”I know.”

–––––––––––––––––––

 Tears.

Again they streaked the face of the alien boy. Beautiful. He wanted to kiss them away, but the name kept verberating in his mind.

_Kuro_

The universe had a sick sense of humor. He wondered if this Kuro not only had a name that meant the opposite of his but if he had opposite hair colors too. Shiro would laugh if his tuft of hair was black instead of white.

He wanted to ask to cure his curiosity, but he was reminded again of the distress the other man was in when a choked back sob escaped and K brought his hands up to muffle the noise.

Shiro reached out to him again, but the boy flinched back once again.

”Please, I cant right now...I dont want to be touched.”

Not wanting to be touched when comforted, Shiro wondered just how much K had went through to want to be so alienated from simple guestures of sympathy.

He retracted his hand and looked around the room first, spotting just what he needed – a box of tisssues. He grabbed the box off of the chair arm and held them out to the young man.

”At least take these.” Shiro said as softly as he could manage and K took them.

K cleaned his face and slowly the sobs quieted to weak sniffles.

”When you’re ready...I’d like to hear about this Kuro. Whatever you want to share, and if you don’t..it’s ok I’ll listen to any other stories you have. I just want to understand you better. But for now, I’ll go.”

Shiro turned around to leave the former red paladin, but he only moved a couple steps before he heard the other shuffle forward and a light pressure touch his back.

He realized it was the young man’s forehead pressed between his blades. He felt K lean the rest of his weight on his back when Shiro didn’t move or protest.

It was something and Shiro wasn’t going to mess it up. Not this time.

”Shiro, thank you. I feel like I’m always going to be saying those words to you.”

As he always managed to do to Shiro, he was breathless, wordless. He couldn’t manage a reply only a nod of his head and all the time K needed to lean on him.

Shiro never moved, never said a word. They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity until K finally moved and exited the room, and Shiro still did not move or speak. He stood there till the quiet footsteps were inaudible and the thoughts in his brain slowed revealing the truth in his heart.

K was who he needed to protect. Not Keith. The universe had chose him, had brought the beautiful sad boy to him, Shirogane Takashi. 

Nothing had ever felt more right than that declaration.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys I know it might sound lame, but I’ve missed my boy K so much. I’m so happy to be back and to tell his story and I hope y’all are still enjoying it too. <3


	7. Burning pt.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> get ready for dialogue heavy content. :)
> 
> K goes through a heat with help from someone unsuspecting and there’s some good guy Shiro (trademark symbol here) lol cause I’m too lazy to put the trademark symbol right now. xD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning - autoerotic asphyxiation :)  
> It’s brief.  
> enjoy~

Fire.

Fire was the first word that came to mind when K began to wake the next day.

It coursed through his veins, heat radiating between his legs, through his fingertips, and his lips. He brought two fingers to his lips and pressed firmly down on them. The skin was sensitive, hot, and tingled. The touch made him squirm as he dart his tongue out to taste his equally burning fingertips. 

K knocked his knees together and ground his inner thighs roughly against each other, letting out a muffled moan. He opened his eyes realizing the night mode was still set in his room and turned his head to the door. 

He wished that he could see if the lights were on in the hallway, and kind of half-wished someone was awake that would come into his room to wake him, maybe kiss him, touch..

K stopped himself before an image of any particular member of voltron could pop up in his filthy mind. 

The hand that was briefly teasing his lips rested now languidly around his neck, his fingers lightly caressing the heated sensitive skin as his other hand made its way down his body. 

His hand played at the hem of his briefs, teasing the skin just under the band. K’s skin reacted and burned and stung so painfully nice with each touch. He let out another breathy moan as his fingers slipped into the patch of course hair.

The anticipation of what was coming next sent a surge of heat in his lower belly, as he wrapped his fingers gracefully around his twitching cock. K gave it a squeeze before pumping slowly, the hand that was once languid around his neck tightened its grip and buried its nails into the soft, sensitive skin.

K’s fingers lightly pressed on the artery just below his jaw as he pumped faster, his thumb brushing the tip of his cock and spreading the leaking precum up and down his shaft until his hand was gliding more easily.

The mix of the lewd squelching sound and his heavy breaths pushed him further, hand tightening around his neck as the other squeezed and jerked his cock more violently until his body was seizing and warm, thick semen shot out streaking his belly. 

K ignored the aching, leaking mess between his legs. Since that incident it had been hard for him to give the proper attention to his other reproductive organ. His fingers shook and his heart raced each and every time he tried to touch himself down there intimately and even rushed his hygiene routine to avoid triggering unpleasant memories.

It had been so long and with all the changes that had occurred in his life up til now, he had almost forgot about this important part of his biology. He wasn’t sure if and how he was going to explain it to the paladins because how can you tell someone, “oh yeah I may act like I want to fuck you but it’s really not consenting because it’s more like I’m drunk”?

K let out a heavy sigh as he cleaned himself off with the now dirty pair of underwear and shimmied out of them. The room was chilly and K shivered in the stale room. He sat up and walked over to the soiled clothes hamper, discarding the underwear and reminded himself mentally to have tissues by his bedside for the next week.

He grabbed the things he needed and headed for the showering room for a much needed cold shower, hoping that he’d be alone this early in the morning. The last thing he needed was anymore misunderstandings or incidents between him and the other members of Voltron.

 

“Whoa man when did you become a space heater?”

Lance reacted when K took his usual spot next to the boy on the couch. He was hoping nobody would notice the light sheen of sweat and the heat rolling off his body (despite his best efforts to cool himself off in the shower), but of course Lance would be the one to announce it to the universe.

The blue paladin placed his palm on his forehead, then his cheek. His other hand came up to rest on his shoulder and the hand on his cheek came to rest on his other shoulder. K shivered.

”Hey man, you’re hot!” K blushed but he was sure no one could see it from his heat induced flush. 

“Like really, you’re burning up.”

”Lance quit manhandling K.” Shiro said in his dad voice from behind a cup of space coffee. 

K froze but Lance ignored him and instead, pulled K into an embrace, and nuzzled his cheek on the top of the smaller man’s head. 

“Seriously though guys he’s so warm, makes me want to just cuddle with him under my covers like a big puppy.”

The extra attention, both physical and the praise of his heat’s warmth, began to make his insides warm and his head feel light. K may had purred but he’d never admit it.

“Lance..” Shiro warned again.

Lance only squeezed him tighter and stuck his tongue out at the black paladin.

”You’re just jealous Shiro because you wanna cuddle this puppy too.”

”I’m not a puppy””He’s not a puppy” Both Shiro and K responded.

K looked at Shiro right as the man took another sip of his coffee and K could swear he saw the light hint of a blush on the leader’s face.

Of course Lance was still holding him right as another paladin entered. Lance’s red paladin. Keith looked not at them but at the tan arms wrapped around him. K shifted his gaze to Lance and to Keith and he could feel the tension of miscommunication once again.

“Lance I’m happy you’ve finally convinced someone to date you, but you two should get a room so the rest of us don’t have to suffer.”

The comment was meant to be a joke in outer appearances, but Keith was much like him when it came to feelings of the heart and everything just sounded like it was laced with malice.

K sighed. He was feeling way too crappy for this first thing in the morning.

“Jokes on you Keith,” K did his best to play along with the joke, even cracking a grin as he continued, “we’re not together. Plus, I like someone else.”

After he said those words everyone’s eyes were on him especially Shiro, who probably wasn’t expecting much out of K since they’re emotional talk yesterday.

“Who?! Is it someone in the castle?!” Pidge jumped from her bowl of space cereal, spilling some as she did.

K tried not to take too long to answer so his reply would sound natural. He looked around stealthy for an escape goat and then Allura walked in and started to greet them with her bubbly, genuine smile.

“Allura.” K said in his best as a matter of fact voice.

”Yes?” She replied.

“Tch, what?” Keith crossed his arms unconvinced.

“What?? Since when?!” Lance screeched next to him letting the boy go.

“Why not?” Hunk said nonchalantly next to Shiro and Pidge.

“What Kogane, surprised I like girls or are you upset your ship isn’t real?” K did his best to say in a teasing voice and started to walk out of the room with an edge of confidence before anymore attention could be brought on himself. But, before he left he paused outside the door way.

“Did I miss something?” Allura stood there in the center of the room perplexed.

“Apparently K likes you.” Pidge said as she shoveled another spoonful of space cereal in her mouth. “Kind of disappointing, my money was on Shiro.”

K’s heart palpated and he gripped his chest as he waited for the other’s responses.

”W-What, why me?” Shiro spat out.

”Reasons.” Was all Pidge said before cleaning her bowl and heading towards the other exit.

”Do any of these reasons have to do with Keith?” He called out and she stopped to face him.

Keith also whipped his head in Shiro’s direction and gave him a warning look.

”No, why should it?” She replied.

”Pfft.” Lance scoffed bitterly and both Keith and Shiro looked at the blue paladin.

”Did I miss something too? Pidge asked, the gears grinding in her head.

”I as well.” The princess chimed in.

”They don’t.” Keith said firmly, crossing his arms at Shiro. 

“That’s right, my mistake.” Shiro said and K heard him rise from his seat and walk in his direction.

”Well that was a tense breakfast.” K heard Hunk mumble.

K dragged his feet, waiting for Shiro to catch up with him. When he felt the man’s presence close enough to him, he stopped and turned to the leader.

”You should have cleared it up between them, or at least on your side like I did. Keith now knows I don’t like Lance and Lance would have known there was definitely nothing between you and Keith IF you would have stepped up.”

”You do though.” Shiro clarified.

”I do what?”

”You like Lance.” 

K sighed and looked up to the ceiling, dragging his hands through his hair as he did.

”I liked someone who was  _like_ him. This is different, it’s just a phase. I’m just homesick.”

K was telling only half a lie. He wasn’t homesick he was craving familiarity and that wasn’t the reason for him liking Lance. Of course it began that way but after spending time with the blue boy, a crush began to grow. This Lance was everything he wanted in his Lance back home. Kind. Endearing. Sincere. Safe.

”So, is it true about Allura then?”

Shiro scratched at the nape of his neck, and if he tried to not look or make things more awkward he dramatically failed with the blush on his cheeks and the cough at the end of his question thst was meant to clear his throat.

“Don’t worry captain, she was just an escape goat. Besides, I don’t like women.”

Keith took this time then to look straight into Shiro’s eyes through his long silky bangs as he spoke in a pitch lower, “More like they don’t turn me on.”

Keith watched Shiro’s addams apple bob as he swallowed hard, a deeper rouge dusting his cheeks. The leader twitched, because he was uncomfortable by K’s words or because he was liking the bait K laid out, he wasn’t sure but K was hoping for the latter. 

Suddenly, K felt a moment of clarity hit him and realised what he had just done. He’d flirted with Shiro, a stranger who happened to resemble the men who put him through months of torture. ‘A man who got you through your heats’ a voice in his brain supplied him.

He knew it was his heat. K tried to bite it back long enough to wrap up his conversation with Shiro and hide in his room before he could say anything else that wasn’t irreversible.

“I-I do like women, but I don’t like Allura. It’s not that she’s not amazing and beautiful! She’s just...not the one.”

”But Keith is.”

”No that was a mistake too.”

”Realize you’re straight after kissing your best friend?” K said bluntly. He wasn’t sure where this hostility was coming from, so he blamed it on sexual frustration. 

Shiro didn’t bite back, instead he stared intently at K. He was beginning to feel small under Shiro’s intense eyes. The black paladin’s lips parted just as the other paladins were exiting the room. 

K didn’t wait for what Shiro had planned to say or for the others to flag him down. He hurried to his room where he would be safe from making anymore advances on his unsuspecting shipmates.

 

That plan didn’t work. Without alpha pheromones in the air to let K know there was a potential mate or his mate nearby and that he could lazily lay around for the alpha to come to him, his body screamed for him to go and find his mate as it pumped out more adrenaline and dopamine’s. 

Only, his mate wasn’t here. Or anywhere near this galaxy. Or reality! Panic started to rush him at the prospect of not having his mate to fulfil his needs as alpha, his heart raced and his sweet glands worked in overdrive as the adrenaline and cortisol worked through his body.

As much as he despised Kuro, his body demanded for him. It was a conflicting feeling that had K occasionally slipping into dark thoughts. 

K willed himself out of his sweat-soaked sheets and headed out of his room and into the hallway. He needed something, someone. That’s what his body demanded of him despite how much he wanted to hide his filthy body.

Slick trickled down his leg, leaking passed the material of his briefs, but he couldn’t make himself give a damn long enough to put proper clothes on. His white shirt, now stretched out and hanging off his shoulder from having been tossing and turning in bed, became sheer from the perspiration. His hair, a tangled mess thrown into an equally messy bun, bounded atop his head as he staggered like a drunk man down the hallway. 

One of the paladin’s doors opened to K’s relief and Hunk stepped out into the hallway. K crashed his heated body into the big man’s own.

”Whoa there buddy, you ok? Lance was right you’re burning up!”

K ignored him and proceeded to lace his arms around the yellow paladin’s neck.

”You’re quite a big man, Hunk. You’ll do just fine.” K purred.

Hunk stammered, torn between holding up the sick man and pushing him off for the sake of protecting both of their honours.

”Ummm I think we need to get you to the sick bay and have someone look at you.”

”I think you need to fuck me.” K grinned predatorily, raised up on the tips of his toes and smacked an open mouthed kiss on the poor paladin.

Hunk pulled back, holding K off like a wild dog, and thought of his options. 

“Hunnnk..it hurts down here.” K began to push his hand down his pants to touch himself and Hunk panicked.

”Whoa ok I don’t need to see that! I appreciate the offer but..”

Hunks eyes shot to the closet and without thinking, shoved K inside, setting the emergency code to lock the any of the doors in the castle. 

K panicked, a mix of distress and rejection stirring his fight or flight senses. 

The yellow paladin called from the other side of the closet door and although K couldn’t understand everything, he heard the words ‘get help’ and it was enough for him to settle down.

K must have passed out because he was awoken by a knock on the closet door. It was a light, gentle knock. Female perhaps.

”Hello, K? Are you alright in there? I’m going to open the door.” Allura called out and light streamed in from the door.

At this point K was too dehydrated and out of energy to fight. He accepted her as she scooped him into her arms and carried him to the sick bay. It was a strange feeling being held in her arms – something like what he’d imagine a mother or an older sister to feel like.

K dosed off on their way to the sick bay and woke up on the cold medical table. The sterile air and cold blue lights made him feel chilly despite the fever from his heat. Allura and Coran stood with their back to him as they stared at two large screens, one with the image of his body and the other streamed words from several other languages, most in Altean.

He hadn’t noticed it, but Shiro stood off to the side with his arms crossed. His stance said serious, concerned. It made K’s chest feel anxious.  _Butterflies_ he’d heard girls say before. And they were right. It felt like soft wings were beating lightly against the inside of his chest, tickling and making him warm.

He hated it. The feeling terrified him.

“So, what’s wrong with him?” Shiro was worried. K couldn’t deny that with any excuse in the world.

”Well it seems..ahem” Coran’s cheeks were rosier than usual, “our lad here is going through a mating cycle of sorts. These hormones here, here, and here are similar to hormones other species here,” Coran points to the strange languages, “when they are going through a mating ritual or cycle.”

”See Lance, I told you K totally came on to me. Now you owe me.” K could hear Hunk faintly across the room.

”Yeah, yeah I’ll pay up later.” 

“I think he’s awake, everyone.” Allura called out when she met eyes with K.

Shiro rushed to his side, and pushed the sweat-slicked bangs out of K’s eyes. K hummed, the tenderness and care making his body thrum with dopamine. 

“Shiro...” K whined.

”Ooooh no, watch out Shiro I know that voice.” Hunk warned and Lance chuckled.

”Who knew you were such a flirt in another reality, Keith.” Lance teased the boy next to him with the biggest shit-eating grin on his face.

Keith must have hit him because the boy let out a yelp seconds later. 

“Is he going to be ok? What can we do to help him?” Shiro continued to mindlessly pat K as he spoke to the Alteans.

”I’m not quite sure, it might have to just run it’s course. He’ll definitely need to be watched to make sure he doesn’t become dehydrated again from this fever.”

“I’ll do it.” Shiro spoke before anyone else. “As leader I should take responsibility, besides I brought him here.”

”No.” K spoke weakly.

”K...” Shiro protested.

”It’s too dangerous..when my strength is back,” he closed his eyes, already feeling weak and ready to accept sleep once again, “I’ll try to go after someone I think to be a suitable mate and you..” K paused for a long while that everyone thought he’d fallen asleep, “...especially you.” 

“How is it dangerous you’re just horny, my dude.” Lance said shamelessly out loud.

Coran however looked concerned as he looked to Allura, who nodded, and then looked to K.

”I can only tell them with your permission, my boy.”

K nodded his head and turned it in embarrassment. This was not how he wanted to share to everyone his private business.

“From what I understand this is not possible among you normal earthlings, but from K’s reality it seems males are...able to carry young.” 

There was complete silence and K was too mortified to look to see their expressions. He remembered the first time he had shared that piece of information with someone from this reality..

Although they weren’t cruel about it, K didn’t like the overwhelming attention and all the personal questions or feeling different from the general norm. And even though the paladins seemed like nice people, that didn’t guarantee that someone wouldn’t be disgusted by it.

Shiro’s hand squeezed K’s arm gently where it had rested itself earlier, and it made him grounded.

“So he can get pregnant.” Keith said flatly.

“But how?!” Lance shreaked incredulously.

”Not now Lance.” Shiro said sternly. 

K stirred, finally feeling brave enough to look to the leader standing above him. Shiro’s gaze was even, a dust of pink was fading across his cheeks. He wondered if Shiro was behaving calm for his sake. K went to open his mouth to explain, but Shiro stroked his forehead again.

”Shh, just rest.”

 

When he awoke again, he was in his room and it was to someone ringing the bell to enter. K got up, his legs wobbly, but he was able to press the door panel to allow them in. It was Keith and he stood there with what seemed to be extra clothes, blankets and water.

K also smelled the others, and tucked in the blankets were clothing he recognized belonged to the other paladins, but to his disappointment nothing of Shiro’s. 

“In case you’re wondering why I’m here, everyone decided that I should watch over you since you’re most likely not going to try to ‘fuck yourself’ as they put it.” K could hear a small chuckle of amusement come from the red paladin. 

“Besides,” Keith sat the rest of the stuff down and turned to K, “I thought maybe this would be a good bonding moment for us,” he paused before finishing, “maybe we’ll come out of this as brothers.” 

Keith’s small grin was genuine. K stood there, probably looking like a deer caught in the headlights. Before either boys could say anything more, the bell rung and Keith was heading over to it.

”I got this, K. It’s part of my job to make sure you don’t jump anyone’s bones.”

“Keith, I’m fine..” The paladin ignored him as he opened the door.

It was Shiro. K could smell him right away, and it was lovely. Ok, so he wasn’t fine but he wasn’t going to tell Keith that either.

He stood behind him and listened as Keith greeted him and asked him to state his business. It all sounded to authoritive, serious for the situation that K chuckled quietly. They both turned to look at K and he waved his hand.

”Dont mind me, continue.” 

Keith interrogated Shiro some more before turning his body slightly to allow Shiro a better view of K.

”See he’s fine, feel better?” Keith crossed his arms and watched Shiro and K like a mother hen protecting her chicks from a fox.

”Could we talk just for a few minutes?” Shiro shifted and that’s when K saw the article of clothing he’d been shyly hiding behind himself the whole time.

Keith grunted and reminded them he’d be watching.

K approached the door feeling awkward as he took in Shiro’s state. He was freshly showered, dressed in his nightly attire of grey sweat pants and a black tank top. Water droplets still occasionally dripped from the ends of his hair and the aroma of fresh soap and Shiro’s own scent was intoxicating.

K wondered when Shiro began to smell so amazing. 

“How’re you?” Shiro cleared his throat and finally spoke.

”I’m feeling much better just...a little weak.”

K fidgeted. He was really doing his best not to beg Shiro to scoop him up and bolt to his room. He felt embarrassed that he was even thinking this way about  _Shiro_ of all people. He was sure his face was beginning to resemble a tomato.

“So””So” They Both said in unison and Keith gagged in the background. Shiro motioned for K to go first.

”So, what’s up?”

Shiro handed the familiar black shirt he was wearing earlier today to K.

”I wanted to bring you this in person for a couple of reasons. One, I wanted you to have a chance to reject it if..you know..you didn’t want it. Second, I wanted to ask you something.”

Shiro waited for K’s reply.

”I’ll accept it...thank you, Shiro. And, I’ll answer you’re question but first..how did you guys know about my nest?”

Shiro beamed down at him as if he was very proud.

”Pidge did her work on species with similar conditions as you and made an educated guess, she’s a smart kid always using her brain to help others.  I’m glad she was right about it we were all afraid that we’d look dumb in front of you or offend you.”

K’s cheeks burned and he ducked his head feeling overwhelmed by how thoughtful they’d all been towards him. K wondered if this is what a real family felt like. 

“Thank you, all of you, for thinking about me.”

”It’s not a problem really, we’d do it for any member of Voltron.” Shiro said proudly.

”So, your question?”

Shiro’s gaze was shy now, his eyes barely being able to look K in the eye. He wiped his palms on the front of his sweat pants and placed his arms awkwardly at his side.

”I was wondering what you’d meant by ‘especially me’...if you don’t mind me asking?”

K hadn’t wanted to ruin the night by mentioning anything that might be painful to either party, but he’d always lived by honesty when it came to good people who deserved the truth.

”Because...you look like my mate, Kuro. Please don’t ask me to explain...I’m not ready to talk about any of this.” K was back to sounding like his meek, guarded self. Any trace of the comfortableness between them, gone.

“I’m sorry. I should go.”

Shiro’s own voice was quiet as he turned on his heel and left the two young men without another word. K’s feet began to edge forward, but he felt Keith’s hand clasp his shoulder, causing him to jump.

 

Later that night after hours of arranging, tearing down, and then rearranging his nest, K finally settled for the night. He was surprised Keith was still awake when they’d laid down for the night, but the red paladin promised to watch over him in case he needed him for anything. 

He laid there in the safety of his nest, revelling in its different smells, he was sure he’d let out a few purrs of pleasure that could be heard by his twin across the room from him. There wasn’t anything about his nest he didn’t love, especially the shirt he clutched tightly to his chest. 

He nuzzled his face into the black paladin’s shirt, inhaling deeply, and not being able to fight himself when a wondering hand slipped past the soft fabric of his fresh underwear. 

 “Are you jacking off with Shiro’s shirt?” 

“Yes, and if you tell a soul I’ll silence you.” K’s voice had an edge to it he hadn’t let any of them here yet, and Keith somewhat believed him.

”Whatever...just could you not do it next to Lance’s shirt? No reason! Just that it’s weird.”

Keith stammered somewhere in that sentence and K snickered, giving the boy a knowing look.

”Don’t worry Keith, bros keep other bro’s secrets right?”

Keith didn’t say anything, just rolled and turned his back to him. 

“You should tell him.” K said and turned his body to face the wall, still gripping the shirt tightly to his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...I was going to make this into one super chapter but I kind of want to post what I have already. The next chapter I’ll most likely start the chapter with Shiro’s point of view, if you want, then add the flashback thst coincides with this chapter.


	8. Burning pt.2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro’s mind is an unsteady stream of thoughts as he struggles to cope with his feelings and identity. 
> 
> Aka he’s having mad feels for K and is struggling with dealing with the guilt Kuro’s past actions have caused. Also very much jealous of Lance. And maybe a lil sexual frustration. :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter takes place after Shiro leaves K’s room in the last chapter.

Shiro opens the door to his room, lights automatically switching on, and the door closes swiftly behind him. He doesn’t bother with anything else, just drags his feet in a straight line towards his bed. He just wants to sleep, wants everything to shut off, wants his brain to stop processing and trying to make sense of the last month or so of his life.

The black paladin collapses on his bed, hair still damp, clothes twisted uncomfortably from his fall, but he doesn’t have enough care to fix them. All he does is look up from where he lays, his gaze staring passed the sterile grey of the castle, not focusing on anything in particular because he isn’t really there anyways.

His mind is with the boy with deep violet eyes and soft curves, and a haunting voice that repeats the name ‘Kuro’ like an obligated oath. 

Shiro may not know a lot of things about the beautiful boy that traveled through infinite realities and happened to come into his life, wreck it, and seize his heart like a marauder raiding the galaxy, but he did know some things for certain.

K likes Lance, in his reality and in this one.

K is not with either of the Lances.

The man that is him in the other reality is K’s mate. A sick joke, Shiro thinks.

Boyfriend? Husband? Owner? What was the definition of a mate where K is from? In Shiro’s reality it meant lover, partner, significant other, but Shiro couldn’t believe Kuro was any of those things to the boy.

He is the reason K and Lance are not together.

He is the reason for the scar on K’s neck; he is the reason for the pained look in his eyes.

For the uneasyness affection causes the boy when he is not high on endorphins.  
For the flinching, and the tensing, and the hitching of his breath when Shiro walks by.

Kuro. Him. He. Shiro. When does the existence of Kuro end and Shiro begin? Was he not Kuro and Kuro him? 

K tells him no, but he can’t help shaking the feeling that this is his responsibility. Guilt. Somehow he was responsible for K to be so accustomed to pain, loss, and sacrifice that he’d give up the boy he loves again so that his other self wouldn’t have to feel it too.

No reality would ever make this up to K. 

Shiro often found himself getting lost in thought, spacing out, even daydreaming of how he could make it up to K, how he could make him happy. He wanted to be the one. He wanted to untarnish the image of himself in this reality, and for all other Shiro’s across the realities.

But most of all, he wanted K to look at him and see just him— not Kuro. Not uneasyness. Not his insecurities. He wanted K to see safety and warmth and home. It was such a silly idea, Shiro was pining for him, so deeply that the depth of it scared him.

He had dipped his toe off the edge of the continental shelf that day and slipped into the depths of his desires when he declared silently to his heart that K was the one he’d been needing to protect.

Everthing was now K.

Shiro closes his eyes now and ink black hair drapes and wraps itself around him like the depths of the ocean, owning him, consuming him. A soft swell of a hip peaks from the darkness he is standing in. 

The image is blurred but he can make out that it’s K, his gentle features and doey eyes being the first to come into focus and Shiro reaches out and his hand rests on the feminine slope of the boy’s waist. 

But he doesn’t break away like smoke. He’s solid at least that’s how he’s registering the image behind his eyelids.

Shiro thinks of ‘The Birth of Venus’ as he takes in the sight before him, only it’s darker and more twisted because K’s scar is more visible than its ever been and Shiro’s hands are touching without permission all the while he’s thinking about biting down on that scar, reinacting it’s conception, wanting to taste it for himself. 

It’s an awful thought, but Shiro’s cock twitches and he shoves a hand inside his pants to find that his underwear are soaked through already and he should be disgusted by this behaviour, be disgusted that this is turning him on.

But he doesn’t stop himself as he springs his cock free and clutches tightly around it. He doesn’t stop as he pumps wildly while he imagines pulling K tightly into him and biting down on the abusive mark.

Shiro hisses when his other hand reaches down to cradle his balls, he new they’d be painfully full, it’s been so long. He knows his load will be a thick mess but he doesn’t stop to remove his shirt.

He continues to play with the image of K. He slips a hand around the boy’s smaller cock and wonders to himself where he’d have to stick his dick to get the boy pregnant because he’d seen him standing up to piss before by accident, so he knows the boy is well equipped for a man of his size.

But he doesn’t think on it anymore because the thought of K being pregnant with his child makes Shiro blush and the energy softens, and now he’s shy and the hand around the boy’s cock trembles with insecurities but the hand around his cock still pumps.

And now he’s asking for permission for things he should have in the beginning and the gentleness in which he holds K makes his chest swell as does his sack because he’s close. The mere thought of K giving him permission makes him want to come alone, but he bites it back with his lip between his teeth because he needs this fantasy to last long enough for the boy to say it.

_I want it to, Shiro.._

It’s all the permission he needs to come and he’s unloading hard on his stomach, thick, white ropes painting his freshly clean shirt. Some even lands on his chin and he swipes it off with his thumb, tempted to taste the foreign substance. He’s curious having not ever done so before, his own or any other man’s.

His insecurities begin to march in. His lack of experience with a man makes him wonder if he’d know how to take care of K properly, if he could make him feel good— if he could make him come as hard as this.

He wonders if Kuro ever did or if he only took care of himself using K as an object.

The thought alone makes him angry at a man he never met. Himself. He’s ashamed by his thoughts. His desires. It was normal for people to fantasise right?

But somehow he feels guilty because he knows K had been taken advantage of by someone who had the same fantasies as him but was cruel enough to act on them, knows that the boy may have been through a lot worse. 

Shiro slams his fist on the bed and for the first time wishes he were someone else. He wishes he were Lance too because then he could make both of them happy, Keith and K. But one of them must be hurt for the other to be happy. 

Shiro wishes that K would look at him the same way.

Shiro wants him to be happy too.

Shiro wants him.

—————————————————— 

Keith wants him.

He thinks of the blue paladin as he rubs a hand over his lower belly and his face. He’s sweating, a mess. He doesn’t know what to do with his hands, so he moves them anxiously over his body.

He feels like he needs to come but he’s already relieved himself five or so times, but he knows it’s not enough. He’s not going to be satisfied not in this stage of his heat.

He needed to be full.

He wanted to be full.

K thinks about going to the boy’s room despite how dangerous the idea is, but Kuro is miles away and Lance..

The teasing and innuendos and promises of making him feel good, making him feel better than he’s ever felt tempts him.

_I deserve this.._

His heart tells him but his body is screaming internally that the boy with the wolf’s grin isn’t his mate. It’s hard to fight, but eventually Keith has turned the voice, the force, that had bonded him and Kuro together, into something that was merely a suggestion rather than absolute.

Still struggling on wobbly legs, he makes his way to the door, presses his sweaty palm flat and let’s the door swish open.

Lance is standing there. Calm. He’s not a sweating mess like an alpha would be.

His face is so close to the door his nose could have been taken off. He’s stark still besides the rise and fall of his chest. It puffs out beautifully and Keith recognizes that Lance is trying to appeal to him as an alpha. 

But Lance doesn’t need to grab Keith’s attention because he’s always had it. K puts a shaking palm to the boy’s sternum and feels it move up and down under him. He feels the heartbeat there too, fast, thudding.

It excites him and makes the heat burn more between his legs.

Keith thinks that he might be a little more into the blue paladin than he was letting himself believe, but he pushes the thoughts away. There was no room in his life for silly things like that. There was no room for feelings.

Besides, he understood Lance’s stance on their relationship. Understood clearly thst day in the utility closet. Understood clearly when the paladin had picked up a random alien when grounded for a banquet on a planet they’d rescued. 

Understood clearly when he leaned in close, whispered in her ear. Understood clearly when she giggled, the two tangled together as they enjoyed each other’s company, all the while Lance was keeping eye contact with him, making sure Keith saw everything.

Making sure he saw as Lance dragged her away from the party to obviously fuck her and Keith was left behind to look pretty for Kuro as their leader and alpha talked about resources and treaties.

But he couldn’t think about reason right now. He couldn't think about things like pride and self respect. He wanted Lance too. He wanted what the countless, nameless aliens had got to have from the amorous blue paladin.

It wasn’t fair that everyday he had to look at him, live with him, almost die with him while all these superficial strangers got to be intimate with Lance. 

He wasn’t going to be left out any longer.

”Fuck me.” Keith grabs Lance and pulls him into his room and flush against his body.

”Ive never been one to say no, but you’re not mine remember? You made that crystal..”

Lance’s voice sounds deep, grovelly, like he hadn’t planned to reject him anyways. Keith unties the string at his waist and shakes off the baggy sweatpants that were practically falling off him, revealing to lance the only part of his body with the least amount of scars.

He notices the flash of concern in Lance’s eyes, but quickly it turns to lust as he stares at the beautiful, rosy mess between his legs.

Lance licks his lips and Keith hopes that tongue will be inside him tonight.

The blue paladin rests his hands on either side of his hips and pulls him closer till Keith’s cock is grinding against the rough denim material of his jeans.

”I’ve never fucked another alpha’s omega while they’re in heat,” Lance releases a deep guttural noise that lets the omega know he is pleased, K shivers, “usually they’d be inseparable from their mate in their nest, but I guess you and Kuro aren’t usual mates since he forced this.”

Lance bends down and runs his nose along the skin of the omega’s clavicle up to his bond mark and licks it. Keith’s stomach turns, and he whimpers, displeased, he hopes Lance will will leave it alone.

”Lance..”

”I’m sorry, should I make my own on the other side?”

K worries that Lance isn’t joking and he should protest, but a pathetic moan escapes his lips at the idea of Lance claiming him. But would the scar or the bond even take with Shiro’s ever so present one intact?

K doesn’t even have time to think about it as his heels connect with the edge of his bed. He’s falling back and Lance’s weight is on him, comfortable, hot. Anxious, K pulls at the Blue Paladin’s shirt. He’d rip it off if he could, but Lance is already rising up to tug it off.

Lance descends on him once more and everything turns black, he’s closing his eyes letting the beta take the lead as his biology decrees.

 

Keith wakes up, dopey, drowsy like after a night of taking too many sleep aids. He’s alone he observes and he’s not surprised. Then the memories flood back..

_His legs are wrapped around Lance’s shoulders, the blue boy holding his thighs in place for extra support. He’s crying Lance’s name, tears streaking his face, but he’s not upset. It feels good and the realization makes him emotional._

_He didn’t think it could be this good. Lance anounces he’s going to come but K doesn’t worry, he’s too lost in the feelings the blue paladin draws out of him. Besides, betas can’t knot like alphas._

_K couldn’t imagine Lance’s tiny load surviving the harsh environment of his body that fought so efficiently against invaders. A child conceived of an omega and beta was as rare as finding a four leaf clover.  
_

_So K doesn’t worry when Lance squeezes his thighs roughly and convulses inside him,  collapsing on top of him. He instead, pets the beta’s short, curly brown lockes until the boy has enough strength to raise up and clean them both up._

What K does worry about now is the lingering smell of sex in his room and how much time he has to clean it up before Kuro’s surprises him with an early arrival because K knows that by now the alpha is rushing to get back to his omega. 

Kuro never missed a heat.

 


	9. Alpha & Omega

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and K scrape the surface of K’s path and his feelings for Shiro. Shiro isn’t good about keeping secrets. Very much vague summary, I'm sorry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> trigger warning - miscarriages
> 
> They can be tough for some people to read about it. I admittedly thought about my niece or nephew while reading this. :l bless all you mothers and fathers and family members that lost loved ones to miscarriages.

“So do you want to talk about it?” Keith says nonchalantly as they’re both getting dressed for the day. K’s heat having calmed for the moment, the two Red Paladins decided on breakfast with the rest of the crew.

 _Family_.. K thinks. 

K feels the taller man watch as he’s tucking Shiro’s shirt away like it’s some kind of embarrassment before turning around to face him. 

“Talk about what?” His voice is too even, it’s easily clear he’s bluffing.

“You know what I mean. _Shiro_.” Keith’s hand waves to the shirt hidden under all the other fabrics and K blushes.

He's not ready for the talk, not now, not with Keith, not with anyone. But he knows it’s unavoidable, Keith will find out someday as well as everyone else. Truth always surfaces.

”Can I speak to you in confidence?” K’s voice and stare match in its desperation and earnest, it makes Keith’s stomach flop like ones would on a rollercoaster or before hearing a secret that could put your very life at risk.

”Yes.” 

K takes a moment. He walks around the space of the modest room, rubbing his hands together, they’re clammy. He feels the anxiety course through his body and the words catch in his throat before he can attempt to voice them. 

He takes a deep breath and sees Keith do the same. It still amazes him how much they mirror each other despite being so different in personality and background.

”Sorry, I just hadn’t planned on sharing any of this, but I find myself always slipping up around you guys.” K stops a foot in front of Keith.

The young blade and red paladin watches him patiently, his eyebrows upturned in concern and his eyes soft with curiosity. He can feel that Keith is also uncertain about this conversation but they both know it’s importance.

”It’s ok, K. I didn’t mean for this conversation to become so serious. I was hoping it’d be fun and playful like when girls talk about their crushes. If you want to stop..” His voices trails off leaving room open for K to respond.

”No, it’s fine. Can we sit?” Keith nods his head and follows K to his nest.

He pauses at the bundle of fabrics and looks to K for permission and K taps the seat next to him on the bed.

”Is it really ok?” Keith guesters to the bundles of blankets and clothes.

”It’s fine, although I see you as an alpha you’re not really one, not in this reality at least.” Keith looks a little confused like he has a million questions and K braces himself for everyone of them.

”And was I one in your–I mean, were we– no, you, were you an alpha in your universe? And what does that mean exactly?”

Keith struggled to get the right words out, but K couldn’t be mad because even he was still confused on how to identify each other. He still questions whether they are each other or completely they’re own person.

He thinks of Shiro now. He thinks about how he barely raises his voice and never raises his hands at his fellow paladins. K thinks about how careful and gentle Shiro’s interactions are with him. He thinks about the kiss he is certain almost happen between them his first day on the ship, like some kind of invisible force or fate was knitting them together, closely, like stitches.

When he thinks about Kuro and Shiro, he is almost certain they are not even remotely the same being. It would be an insult to Shiro.

K let’s out a sigh he didn’t realize he had been holding. He’s not frustrated, just tired from his heat, from his past.

”I’m an omega. That’s why I’m able to carry children. Omega give birth, Alpha lead, and Beta follow in our society.” Keith nods his head like he understands every thing K just said, but he’s sure the Red Paladin has even more questions than when this conversation started.

“So you could carry anyone’s child, like, Alluras or Shiro’s..for example?”

K takes note of how careful Keith was to not put his name and Lance’s child in the same sentence and he couldn’t blame Keith for being so jealous and slightly possessive of his Blue Paladin. He’ll definitely have to save that to share to Lance in the future.

“No not Allura’s, she’s not an alpha and probably not Shiro’s either since he’s not an alpha as well.” K notices how his voice sounds more sad than he’d like to admit and hopes it doesnt show on his face in front of the Black Paladin’s closest friend.

”But Shiro is a man?”

”But he’s not an alpha. For a male omega like me it must be an alpha because my body isn’t  as willing as a female’s body in this reality or a female omega’s body to produce young.”

His chest begins to tighten as his heart and his mind remind him of the little lives that would never be. He remembers the blood and the aching between his legs as Lance rushed him to the healing pod and being truly scared of Kuro for the first time.

He remembers the cold metal of the infirmary, Kuro standing over him and turning away with a stone, dark expression that’d made him truly fearful for a second time when his lifeless child was put in his hands, so small and delicate he couldn’t properly hold _him_  in his arms.

He remembers the curly tufts of hair that was beginning to grow, tiny fingers with matching tiny fingernails, a small pout that was like his own, and a beautifully carved nose like his father’s. 

“So an alpha is like a what, leader? He gets to mate with all the omegas?” K laughs at the idea of an alpha having a pride or a harem to be more exact.

”No, alphas don’t have harems, but with their egos im sure they’d love to.” He laughs again, “Uniquely alphas and omegas and alphas and betas enter a bond that doesn’t really allow room for anyone else...generally.”

”Generally...so I’m going to take a wild guess and say your bond wasn’t?”

“What makes you think I was bonded?”

“I overheard you and Shiro..something about Kuro? And if I’m msking another guess he isn’t anything like our Shiro. Besides, I can read it on you’re face, sadness...anger..like you’ve been cheated out of something special.”

Keith is staring at him genuinely, his shoulders slumped defeatingly like someone had given him the worst news of his life. He was somehow closer to K, the boy just now registering the warmth next to him. If he’d move just an inch closer, K could rest his head on the red paladin’s shoulders and reassure him that it was all over and done with now. 

He entertained the idea, besides he’d already held lances hand how could it hurt to let one more person in? K inches closer, hooks his arm with Keith’s and rests his head comfortably on Keith’s shoulder like he’d imagined.

”It’s ok now, Keith.” K tries to soothe him.

”It’s just..when things were tough I’d always imagine that in another life I’d be happier, luckier for going through all I have, but you’ve been through so much worse and you haven’t even told us everything. I feel like this is my fault, that I’d cursed all of us in every reality.”

Keith’s voice wavered on fiery anger and heartbreak and K squeezed him a little tighter hoping to suffocate the flames. 

“No, no Keith not you nor I or any of us. It’s not our fault that is something I had to learn on my own. And for the record, my life has...it’s improved so much being with all of you. You wouldn’t believe how relieved I was to find out how kind Allura is and Coran and Hunk, Pidge and you and Lance..even Shiro..”

”You like him..Shiro.” Keith’s words were so confident K believed them for a minute himself.

”Keith it’s not what you think–“ K felt a sense of deja vu saying those words.

“I thought it was Lance, and maybe it was at some point but those feelings have past or at least they’re passing, but Shiro...those feelings aren’t passing they’re just beginning to grow. I should know right, I’m you?” Keith was looking at him with so much confidence and knowing like he was certain he’d looked into the future and seen it’s outcome.

”It’s not.. he just reminds me of someone–“ K knows he’d had this conversation before.

”Kuro, but Shiro isn’t Kuro you’d despise him otherwise. But you’ve begun to fall for Shiro’s protective, nurturing side..the same personality that made me want him in my life as a brother. As family.”

”You’re just confusing me, Keith.” Keith’s insistent behavior was making his face hot and his stomach nervous. He wasn’t thinking properly because now he was beginning to think the Red Paladin was on to something.

”No I’m just making things cle—“

Before Keith could finish his sentence or before K could protest, the door to his room swished quietly open and the tiny green paladin stood in the doorway along with Lance.

”Sick, guys you’re practically related!” Pidge ridiculed, harmlessly, a hint of humor in her voice, and the two Keith’s had realized they were still holding onto each other despite the heavy conversation.

”When I said you could be like family, I didn’t mean incest, K!” Lance was the next to react. Both of the boys sitting down facepalmed.

”We were actually discussing how K has a cru–“ 

”If you say it Kogane I’m going to steal them away so quickly you won’t even notice it until there’s a baby in my belly and they’re calling me mi amor. Got it?” K had grabbed onto the neck of Keith’s shirt, curled his fist and dragged the boy close enough to threaten him in a rough whisper.

”But you said he couldn’–“

”Life finds a way, Kogane.” K threatened once more.”

”Fine.” Keith huffs.

”You know..we can kind of hear you guys.” Lance broke the two young men out of their bubble, his cheeks a slight red. K wondered if he’d put two and two together after all Lance wasn’t as naive as everyone liked to believe.

It was Keith’s turn to blush horridly and K was certain they were on the same page again. He wished that the two would just come out with their feelings, it was so painfully obvious and equally painful to watch.

”Let’s go.” K stands from the bed and holds a hand out to Keith and he took it, following K out of the room and through the hallway.

When Keith was confident Lance and Pidge had walked enough distance away, he finally spoke to his almost twin.

”I really think you should tell him.” 

“You first.” K muttered to his twin before catching up to the paladins in front of him.

—————————————————

 

Keith had been side eyeing him all day.

Perhaps his best friend was curious about his sudden escape last night. Maybe his conversation with K made it too obvious of his feelings for their newest family member. Maybe he was still mad at him for stealing his first kiss and was slowly plotting his death in great detail.

Whatever was on the young blade’s mind, Keith didn’t say anything. Nothing was said at breakfast or training or the mission debriefing. Nothing was even said when they were on their way to the hangar.

He just watched.

But Keith wasn’t the only thing on his mind at the moment as he stood in front of his lion, the others already inside and waiting for his lead. K and Coran looked on, their gazes quizzical as if they were both trying to figure out why he hadn’t stepped into the lion yet.

Truth be told, Shiro was scared.

It would be the former red paladin’s first time without a babysitter that wasn't just Coran himself. Before, a paladin would stay behind with him. But with Keith hitching a ride back to the blades and all the lion’s needed for this mission, K was only left with Coran and as much as Shiro respected the old Altean he couldn’t trust him not to lose K.

Maybe it was just Shiro being paranoid, but there was a wrong feeling deep in his gut that twisted like a rag being rung out. He felt like this would be the last day, that if he left on this mission, even though the castle would be right there within flying distance, he wouldn’t see the young man ever again.

And that’s why he hesitated on the ramp leading up to his lion. That’s why he stared back at violet eyes and inky black hair and ignored Coran as he waved goodbye to him. 

Shiro was about to turn away and head up the ramp when he saw what looked like K’s lips mouthing his name. It was absurd, he wouldn’t have been able to see something like that from where he was, but it was excuse enough for him to turn around and head for the young man instead of his lion.

He could hear the others in his mic and took the helmet off. He was going to return to his lion, but he had to speak to K before he left.

Both of the men in front of him were cocking their head in slight confusion or maybe annoyance on K’s end and it made Shiro chuckle to himself.

”Shiro, my boy the Black Lion is that way.” Coran teased as he pointed towards the metal lion. K was silent as always.

”Coran, could I talk with him privately for a moment, please?” The Altean nodded his head and walked off towards the entrance.

”Please..” Shiro made sure that his grey eyes were locked with violet. “Please, be here when I get back from the mission.”

”Isn’t that my line? You’re the one going out into a firefight, possibly, shouldn’t I be telling you to be safe?” He must have looked silly to K because the boy wore a smug grin he so rarely saw on either one of the Keiths.

”Im not asking you to be safe..I’m asking you not to leave..us.” Shiro tacked on the last word to make it less awkward for either one of them.

K stared blankly, quietly, his poker face as good as ever. He didn’t know what the boy was thinking and didn’t think try to pry anything out, just waited for any response and if he wasn’t going to get one then he was going to turn heel in five.

One

Nothing.

Two

Still nothing.

Three

A furrow of eyebrows.

Four

Lips slightly pursed.

Five

Shiro turned on his heel and began to march towards his lion with all the confidence as the leader of Voltron. He needed to after suffering such humiliation begging someone who barely tolerated him to stay. Weak. 

“Shiro!” K shouted from behind him, surprised, the Black Paladin turned around. “I won’t leave, Shiro!” It sounded like a promise, maybe not of forever but for right now and it was enough for him to slide his helmet back on and run towards his lion as he smiled ridiculously.

 

They had landed at the Blade of Mamora base, all the Paladins taking a pit stop before resuming their mission. Shiro exited his lion right as he saw Keith walking down the ramp of the Red Lion.

He wondered if the two young Paladins had made any progress of their own then he remembered he was talking about Lance and Keith, and he doubted they’d get farther than blaming the other for something before even being able to talk about their feelings.

Shiro had been greeted by Kolivan and a few other blades as well as Keith when he finally made it down the ramp.

It was their usual greetings and some catching up, followed by a debriefing of the blades current missions before the other Paladins broke off to check out the base and Kolivan was called away for something urgent that usually meant straightening up younger members during his down time.

It was just him and Keith now, quiet, awkward, he wondered how long it would be like this. Keith cleared his throat first getting Shiro’s attention and the two men stopped where they were walking. 

“Shiro, what are your intentions with K?” Keith said so fraternally that it caught him off guard. Shiro sputtered before replying.

“E-Excuse me, my what exactly?”

”What are your intentions? He’s my brother I should have a right to know.”

”Brother? Not too long ago he was your romantic rival!”

”We had a bonding moment, Shiro it’s different now.”

”Oh really?” Shiro says smuggly, his hip jutting out as he rested a hand on it.

”When you’ve been in the same room as someone with the emotional level of a pregnant woman masturbating, yes you kind of end up bonding.” It was Keith’s turn to be smug as he stood in front of Shiro with his arms crossed and a knowing grin that felt like Keith was calling him out on his jealousy.

”Fine, you may have a point.” Shiro’s cheeks were burning and Keith was beginning to look like Lance after winning an argument.

“So what is it? I think you guys like each other. I think that’s why you kissed me, isnt it? Look I’m not mad about it anymore, Shiro. I used to think Lance and K were a thing, remember? It’s ok to be confused, but just don’t use me like that again to figure things out, ok?” 

The look Keith gave him reminded him of the young boy at the garrison who often got in trouble and worried he’d lose the respect of his upperclassman. It made Shiro feel guilty. He stepped forward and yanked Keith into a familiar hug and held him there until he was sure he wouldn’t sound to shaken up.

”I’m sorry, Keith. I can never forgive myself for being selfish and cruel towards you. You’re special to me. And for the record, you were my brother first, so I might be a bit jealous of K.” Shiro chuckled and heard Keith mimic him genuinely and the two Paladins pulled apart, both beaming smiles at the other.

”Keith..” Shiro’s voice was serious again. He’d contemplated telling Keith after deciding with K that it was best for the red and blue paladin to figure things out for themselves, but he couldn’t stop himself. He wanted Keith to be happy about something, truly happy. 

“He likes you, keith.” Shiro had planned to lay it out nicer by telling him about K and how he used to like Lance or someone like him as he claimed, but the words just tumbled out with excitement for him friend.

”Who, K?” 

”No Lance, Keith. Lance likes _you._ Not K, not me, not Allura and not some random space alien girl. According to K, he’s completely head over heals for you. I wasn’t supposed to say–“

”Whoa wait— you knew and you didn’t say anything sooner? We could have died not knowing! Our jobs aren’t exactly your normal desk job we can die any day! Ahhh I’m so frustrated but so..so..” Keith was now pacing short strides in front of Shiro.

”Relieved?” Shiro supplied and Keith stopped letting a heavy sigh of what Shiro recognized as tension release. 

“ _Yes._ I _..._ wait does he know that I like him too?”

”I don’t think so. K and I made a promise not to intervene.”

”I need to tell him. And you need to tell K.”

”Keith it’s different–“

”You guys sound so much alike. Don't you like him?”

”Yes, but he doesn't feel the same and I don't blame him.”

”I kind of have a feeling if you tell him really gently how you feel you'll find out that he feels the same.”

”And how do you know this?”

”Because he fucking masturbated with your shirt!” Keith became dead quiet like someone who had blurted out something they had intended to keep a secret forever.

Shiro was quiet too, his eyes blinking like they were glitching, slack-jawed. He shut his mouth quickly and cleared his throat, which was blushed red all the way up to his ears. 

Keith waited for him with a look that dared him to try to argue back.

”He was just horny, Keith.” Shiro took the dare.

”If he was just horny he wouldn’t go all soft and like he was pining to death every time he talks about you or your name is mentioned. Look Shiro, I can’t convince you or K how you guys feel that’s going to be something you both need to do. And to not be a hipocrite, I’m going to tell Lance that I indeed do like Messi.” Keith turned around and took off with a purpose, leaving Shiro to ruminate on the young paladin’s words.

”Who’s Messi?” Shiro cocked his head as he tried to find a hidden meaning in Keith’s words.

 

 

—————————————————

-Preview-

He promised Shiro he wouldnt leave, but he'd seen a scene like this before, been a part of it, and knew for at least him it did not end too well. He should have had more faith in his new paladins but he couldnt sit safely in the castle and do nothing while they fought to keep him and the rest or the universe safe.

The lions were just streaks of color in the sky amidst explosions and debris when he looked out of the abandoned command deck of the galra ship he had successfully infiltrated.

He was thankful that the galra of this reality couldnt smell heats because his had decided to hit again when inside the pod carrying him to the ship. It was a violent wave of heat and dizziness, and his suit felt soiled and uncomfortable from the slick.

But he continued anyways, practically falling out of the pod when it docked and somehow managed to make himself invisible to the panicking crew. They'd taken a few hits, but were still fit to take on Voltron, and it was only a matter of time til someone brave enough realised that and come waltzing back to take command of the ship.

Not if he could help it.

And that’s how K found himself in front of the master control pannel of a massive galra ship, overriding its commands and setting its coordinates for something much closer. If he left now he could make it to the pod and be out before impact.

He busted the large panels as well as he could and while doing so, it was a smell not the sound of the door opening that got his attention. It was a familiar smell that had his body singing and his heart racing.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote a preview this time instead of a flasback because I felt bad for updating so late, and I might be late on the next chapter as well. 
> 
> Thank you for still reading even if you hate it, or are indifferent or love it!


	10. Promises Like Falling Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something happens to K during Voltron's mission and a lot of misunderstanding is created. But, not to worry some well overdue healing begins to happen at the end of this chapter. I know my summaries are horrible. xD
> 
> Song for this chapter is 'Falling Stars' by Dirk Maassen. It's a piano piece that I feel like really sums up the emotions of this chapter I'd love if yall checked it out and even better if you listen to it while reading. :3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter follows right after the last update so if it feels like its not flowing maybe reread the last half or quarter of chapter 9 so you can get reimmersed. ;u; with that said...
> 
> Sorry for the long wait! I didn't know moving to a new place and work would take up so much of my time like it has but I've been so drained lately that I literally just lay in my bed and watch youtube or read in my spare time. I'm finally starting to feel me again. :] Hope you all are still enjoying my story and if you're new, welcome!
> 
> Its sort of a short update, so I apologize. I have plans for the next chapter with scenes that I omitted from this chapter. Definitely a flashback cause I need to catch up with the past timeline.

 

He promised Shiro he wouldn't leave, but he'd seen a scene like this before, been a part of it, and knew for at least him, it did not end too well. He should have had more faith in his new paladins, but he couldn't sit safely in the castle and do nothing while they fought to keep him and the rest of the universe safe.

The lions were just streaks of color in the sky amidst explosions and debris when he looked out of the abandoned command deck of the galra ship he had successfully infiltrated.

He was thankful that the galra of this reality couldn't smell heats because his had decided to hit again when inside the pod carrying him to the ship. It was a violent wave of heat and dizziness, and his suit felt soiled and uncomfortable from the slick.

But he continued anyway, practically falling out of the pod when it docked and somehow managed to make himself invisible to the panicking crew. They'd taken a few hits but were still fit to escape the battle, and it was only a matter of time till someone brave enough realized that and comes waltzing back to take command of the ship.

Not if he could help it.

And that’s how K found himself in front of the master control panel of a massive galra ship, overriding its commands and setting its coordinates for something much closer. If he left now he could make it to the pod and be out before impact.

He busted the large panels as well as he could and while doing so, it was a smell not the sound of the door opening that got his attention. It was a familiar smell that had his body singing and his heart racing. He didn’t understand why he thought it’d be impossible. He was here and alive in this universe, so why couldn’t he be too? Besides...

Keith reaches up to touch the mark that he never wanted and barely felt the tears that had fallen without his permission. It was still there despite K’s betrayal which meant what he was smelling wasn’t a figment of his imagination.

”Kuro.” But how, in all this vast space, did he happen to be here unless he was already looking for him.

”My...omega. You don’t even know how hard and long I’ve searched for you after that inconvenient betrayal. Well, not too inconvenient, you did get rid of a pest for me. Yes, I mean him. I’m surprised you’d abandon your cub’s father like that even if he was a homewrecker and a flirt. You seemed to have some genuine feelings for that degenerate—“

”How...how do you know?” K steadied his breath, doing his best to appear strong when all he wanted to do was fall to his knees and mourn. 

He’d always dreamt that it would be Lance to find him like this, that they’d be the only ones left from their reality and would need each other. They’d finally be together and try again and even if it was just one healthy babe, K would be more than thankful because all he wanted right now was to hold the little boy with eyes as blue as his father’s one more time.

”How do I know that he’s dead? Well if you stuck around after breaking Voltron you’d have seen the idiot chasing after you right before he got hit with that beam..like the one armed on that ship we’re headed towards. There was nothing left after that— not even his lion, unfortunately. What a waste of a good lion.”

He broke. K fell to his knees, ignoring the pain of unguarded bone connecting with steel. He did his best to hold back choked sobs, but he hiccupped for air as his body demanded for him to release all the pain and sadness and regret. He’d been such an idiot then and he was an idiot now.

The life he’d sacrificed to get him here away from Kuro was in vain all because he could not keep his promise to Shiro and a little bit of him mourned the loss of his first love no matter how imperfect it was.

“Please, let me go Kuro. You don’t really want to be with me— we can start over here.” 

”Let you go, so you can run back to your new paladins? That’s how I found you, by the way. I knew you couldn’t keep away from the Red lion or the Blue Paladin. I made sure to hop on any galra ship that knew of Voltron’s coordinates until I finally found you. Plus, it was me who tipped your paladins off— I was the anonymous source. I had an idea of how I was going to board after you all showed up, but luckily you made it easier for me.”

”I’m not going with you.” K stood to his feet, knees knocking together as he shakily moved in an offensive stance. He pulled out his knife from behind his back and held it at his side. “And this time I’m going to make sure you’re dead.”

”Good, I always wanted you to try that knife on me. _Try_ that is.We’ll see how you do.” Shiro readied his arm and it glowed eerily purple when he ripped it from the sleeve it was hiding under.

K rolled his wrists and drew the blade back as he got ready to lunge at his mate. Kuro ran towards him like a charging bull and swung his fist. There was a blinding white light and then the tremor of an explosion that rocked K on his heels. 

An explosion.

K ignored his fight with Kuro, who had missed him thanks to the explosion and slammed into the wall behind him and raced over to the viewing deck to look out at the battle. But the ship had been knocked off course and they were drifting towards another badly damaged ship quickly with no sight of Voltron. He had almost forgot the ship’s new course in his anger. 

He was almost out of time.

K heard Kuro grunting behind and took this chance to run straight for the door. It was a task— his knees shaking for adrenaline, worry, and his heat. He doubts he could outrun Kuro in this shape much less fend off any guards that might recognize him as the Red paladin of Voltron. Luckily, everyone was concerned for themselves as he wove through the panicking crowd.

Kuro roared behind him, bringing some attention to himself and having to fight off the guards as he chased K down. This slowed him down tremendously, a miracle for K, and he slipped away into the shadows where he could move more freely. 

But his heat would give him away to Kuro and as soon as the alpha caught his scent again, he’d find K as if he were in plain sight. So he had to move quickly, scanning the ship for any pods that may be remaining, maybe his own even. 

Destroyed

The word shows up red on his tablet where the vitals for the pod he arrived in should be. So he locates another nest of pods and makes his way to them quickly. Only three remaining, and K hopes that they had been forgotten otherwise his fate would be the same as Kuro’s.

 _But at least you’d know he’s dead for good this time._ A nasty voice says in the back of his mind behind the one that is screaming at him to obey his mate. It had been a while since he had either.

K reached the pod, lucky to find that they all had been abandoned and not discovered yet. He goes to to the door of the pod that looks most alive, not having time for one to boot up. It unlocks after some time and he steps a foot in but is yanked back before he can fully get inside.

Strong claws dig into his bicep as he’s swung around and is met by Kuro. K screams and flails as he fights off Kuro. He’s running out of time, they both are but Kuro just holds him stubbornly there threatening him. His eyes are blown, no doubtingly from being aroused by the chase and killing and his heat. 

He was covered in blood like an animal.

”We’re going to that Hell you so often talked about together, omega or we’re going together in that pod. The choice is yours.” Kuro growled as he threw K into the pod.

K fell inside barely able to gather himself up before Kuro entered. He kicked at him again with all his might and the alpha stumbled back but it wasn't enough. K screamed at him again and reached behind him as he grabbed for his mother’s knife praying to every God and thanking them that he had managed to sheath it before taking off. 

 Kuro lunged at him once more and he stuck him with it, not knowing where but enough for the alpha to fall back just enough for him to kick Kuro back and slam the close button to the pod. 

The alpha banged on the glass of his pod’s window violently, teeth bared, claws scratching the thick material. If Kuro got inside he’d be dead. K was certain.

Inside the pod, the countdown began and he strapped himself in as he listened to his alpha yell and grown from outside. K cried. He cried for himself, for the alpha, and for the Blue paladin. Everything he’d geld in up til this point he let out in streams. 

He cried for his new friends, his new family...Keith and Lance and Pidge and Hunk...and Shiro. Even the alteans. If he survived this they’d never believe him or they’d never have the same trust in him. He had betrayed his old paladins and now them. That’s what they’d think.

K didn’t open his eyes when the pod launched, he didn't want the last thing he’d see to be Kuro. He waited till he was launched into space and stared out at the vastness. The wreckage was everywhere except for Voltron. 

He let out a sigh of relief at the thought that his paladins were not part of the wreckage and that there was a chance that they were ok. He would find them again if he survived even if it took longer than he’d like.

He began to drift but a bright light filled his pod. The colliding ships sent a massive shockwave that hit the tiny pod like a tsunami hitting a rowboat. K saw everything spin and flip upside down and then it was black.

 

————————

 

“Shiro, I can’t find K anywhere!” Lance panicked as he finished searching the main living section of the Castle of Lions.

 ”He promised,” Shiro said more for himself as he clenched his fists at his side. He had somewhat known, like a sixth sense, that K wouldn’t be there like he’d promised.

”What?” Keith looked at Shiro for an explanation but the Black Paladin was thoughts away. 

The other paladins were just muffled sounds to him like when a person's hearing is coming back to them after an explosion. There were voices and a slight ringing but nothing Shiro could make out. Maybe he was feeling an effect of the battle they'd just barely escaped or maybe..

“How could he do this to us!” Keith yells as he decides that the look on Shiro's face was confirmation enough that K had left them. Anger began to bubble up from feeling like he’d been abandoned again,"I can't handle this right now I'm leaving!"

"You can't leave right now, Keith." It was Pidge who spoke now. "We need your help finding K. Remember what you told me when I wanted to leave Voltron to find Matt and my dad?" She was looking at him now, eyes pleading. She hardly asked for anything from anyone and it caught Keith off-guard.

"Pidge, I can't..please understand." 

"What about me?" Lance spoke quietly behind him. His voice, heartbreaking.

Keith spun around to look at the Blue Paladin, his boyfriend.

"Are you going to leave me too?" Lance looked as though he was going to cry at any second. Keith wasn't ready for this. He can't even handle his own emotions much less stand to see Lance cry because of something he couldn't fix for sure.

"Lance, I just need to do this alone. I'm sorry, but I promise I'll bring him home ok? I'll come back..we both will"

Keith reached out and touched the side of Lance's face tenderly. He did his best to convey his feelings clearly because he knew that sometimes, most of the time actually, he looked angry or pissed off more than any other emotion. And yes, he was pissed at K and the situation he'd left everyone in. He was pissed that he didn't think about how sensitive Lance is or about Shiro's feelings...or even his.

"Don't bother, Keith." Shiro finally spoke and he noticed how the three paladins jumped at the sound of his voice. Did he sound more upset than he'd meant to let on?

"But Shiro-" Keith began to object but Shiro cut him off quickly and the look of offense on Lance's face didn't go unnoticed. It was endearing Shiro thought. Keith must have kept his word and confessed to Lance and by the way the two were behaving he assumed it went well. He felt jealous and it was wrong, but he's only human after all.

"K had his choice and he chose to leave. We can't force him to be somewhere he doesn't want to be." Shiro said sternly, wanting to put this aside quickly and focus on more important things like who caused the explosion that literally saved their lives but of course Keith wouldn't let things go so easily.

"How, Shiro? How can you say that so easily? Don't you think it's strange that K just leaves us after opening up to all of us? Coran, did he say anything to you before he left?"

"No, my boy. At least not that I'm aware of. I became so occupied with trying to aid you all that I had completely forgotten about him until it was over and I went to express my relief but he was gone. I'm sorry paladins."

"It's not your fault Coran, you couldn't persuade K even if you had the chance. His mind was already made up." Shiro tried to sound comforting, like his usual self, but he was still full of betrayal and hurt both of which made him feel angry for being so weak over someone he barely knew.

"You're not being yourself lately, Shiro." Keith blurted out with no filter to ease it on him. It caught Shiro off-guard. "First, the..thing in the hangar," Shiro saw Keith glance over at Lance, who looked uncomfortable,"and now you're just giving up. When have you ever gave up? You were kidnapped by aliens for fuck's sake and that still didn’t stop you!" 

Everyone was quiet even Allura and Hunk, who either tried to lighten things up or give a logical input. Even Pidge felt like this was a personal conversation maybe only meant for the three paladin's involved. They slowly began to back out of the room, Allura gently placing her hand on Coran's shoulder to pull him along with them.

"Don't you at least want to know he's ok, Shiro?" Lance finally spoke to him.

Shiro sighed, he knew that none of the paladins were going to let this go. They cared about each other too much and as too soon as it may seem, K had already become a part of their dysfunctional family.

"Fine..go Keith. Maybe the blades can help you in a way Voltron can't. And Lance, if the rest of you want to look for K in the meantime, go ahead just don't let it get in the way of Voltron business and please, leave me out of it..ok?" Shiro said the last part softly, pleadingly. He didn't want to sound bitter or hurtful towards the Blue and Red paladins.

It must have worked because both of them were now looking at him with so much pitty it made him uncomfortable so he looked away from the two, leaving the room so that the new couple could say their goodbyes in private.

 

 

A few days had passed and the feeling didn't subside. It knotted in his core, tightening his chest, and the more he acknowledged the unsettling feeling, the more he became angry with how pathetic he has become.

And the more pathetic he feels, the less he feels deserving of leading Voltron. He finds himself wishing Keith would come back and lead the team or maybe even Lance, after all, Lance had proven himself more than capable despite his insecurities that the boy thought no one noticed.

Shiro let out a long sigh from where he laid on his bed, staring up at the sterile gray ceiling. He reached his hand up to the sky and closed his eyes but there was nothing there to grab, not even behind his eyelids.

He dropped his arm and let it thud onto the bed, breathing as he was trained to do, willing some of the tension to pass, but it only caused his eyes to sting as unwanted moisture began to build up and threaten to fall. A knock came to his door and he was shaken from his thoughts.

Pidge called from the other side of the door and he did his best to make himself presentable, wiping at his eyes and smoothing out his clothes. He got up from his bed and sat at his desk and called her in.

"Hey, have you seen Lance? We were going to play some games and when we went to get him and the console he'd jacked he wasn't there. We can't find him anywhere actually." An alarm went off in Shiro's head at the thought of Lance going alone to find K as well. Pidge must have picked up on his panic because she quickly spoke again.

"Don't worry his lion is here, everything is here, so he hasn't left the castle," Shiro remembers where he had found K after Blue had rejected him and wonders if Lance had stumbled upon the unused room when looking for somewhere to be alone.

"I think I might know where he is I'll go get him alone... there are some things I need to clear up with him anyways." Pidge nodded her head as she left the room, telling Shiro they'd be in the kitchen till they returned.

 

Shiro stood outside the door to the unused lounge room, taking a deep breath before stepping inside, quietly, he didn't want to alarm Lance right away in case he happened to change his mind and run away again.

He stepped inside quietly and looked to the wall K had been crouched next to before, empty. He then looked to the average sized viewing deck and saw his fellow paladin staring intently out to space from where he sat on the large window sill.

There was only a faint glow that illuminated his face, but Shiro could see that he had been crying, especially from the protective way he held onto his knees that were drawn up to his chest. Shiro cleared his throat and he saw the small jolt in Lance's body as he turned in his direction.

"Shiro.." The Cuban boy breathed out as he hurriedly wiped at his eyes.

"Hey, do you have a moment?" Shiro asked gently and Lance nodded, moving his body so that Shiro could sit beside him.

With their backs facing space, the two paladins stared into the dimly lit room both quiet as they waited for the other to speak up.

"Lance, I want to apologize for the biggest misunderstanding that I have ever caused." Shiro took a deep breath again readying himself to explain but Lance spoke up first.

"It's ok Shiro, Keith and I already talked about it." Shiro could hear how uncomfortable he was and couldn't imagine the thoughts he had running through his head. He wanted to reassure him, to clear up everything between them.

"But we haven't," Shiro spoke softly, looking intently at Lance, unmoving, "and I think that we should. I...I want to be your hero again, someone you can look up to and depend on. I want you to be my little brother like Keith. I'd even settle for best friends...or even just friends if you'll forgive me."

 Lance didn't say anything. He just looked at Shiro with a mix of anger..or maybe frustration as his bottom lip quivered. His eyebrows furrowed together as his eyes darted away from Shiro and back towards him before meeting his gaze.

"How am I suppose to stay mad at you when you look at me with those big puppy dog eyes, Shiro. It's totally not fair. Very uncool, man." His voice was shaking despite doing his best to sound cool and unphased by Shiro's apology. 

Shiro gave him the weakest of smiles and Lance returned him one.

"It was all my fault...I used Keith to try to figure out my own feelings..." Shiro began to explain earning a few 'you jerk's’ and 'that is messed up's' from Lance, all which he deserved.

And for the first time Shiro admitted his true feelings to the young paladin he'd hope would be his friend for a lifetime.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally started writing the first half of this chapter a few months ago before the shiro/keith fight and i totally found that a big coincidence and had no idea that thst scene would happen in the show. Of course mine is very anticlimactic and not as emotionally powerful. xD I hope you enjoyed a lil bit of the other paladin's POVs since Shiro kinda signed out of reality for a moment. When I was writing the chapter that's just how it happened. It reminds me of when you're so upset over something you kinda just get lost in yourself for a minute (i suffer from dissociation disorder so i dont want to say thats what shiro is doing but thats the vibes I got..i guess its hard not to put a lil bit of yourself in your work).
> 
>  
> 
> Also, I have to change up some of the canon to fit my story, not too much everything (most things) should happen like in the show just a lil differently. Sorry for the vagueness. xD And in case anyone is confused because of my poor storytelling the battle is when keef was going to nosedive the ship but Lotor ruined his death (lol sorry its a meme thing i saw xD). Basically when Lotor saved the day and Keith didnt have to die. xD Ahhh ok I'm out now. literally, I came out this month. Happy Pride month! :3 Ok I'm done forreal this time.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for being curious enough to get through the first chapter!
> 
> My omega verse info:  
> \- all humans are least fertile when not in heat or rut.  
> \- female alphas ovi and have a phallic like appendage above their vaginas hat recedes back into the body until stimulated doesn't hang like a flaccid penis. They can become pregnant but is very difficult.  
> \- male omegas don't have balls but instead have a smaller version of a vagina behind their cock where the balls should be. Male omegas have stronger scents during heats than female omegas and can drive alphas into rut which can be used for or against their favor (one of the social reasons that'll be explained later). They are also unable to impregnate other omegas, male or female making them undesirable mates amongst other social reasons. Being a male omega is tough in Keith's universe I won't spoil it all yet I'll let Keith tell the story.


End file.
